Their WAC Lieutenant
by a modern girl with an old soul
Summary: Lieutenant Evelyn Westin may have been Captain Lewis Nixon's cousin, practically his sister, but she held a special place in the heart of all of Easy Company's men. This is her story as she follows them throughout Europe and World War II.
1. Chapter One

_Hey everyone! This is my first time actually writing a fanfic but I've been a fan for awhile. I hope that you like it and please review but I do ask that you be kind because it is my first time publishing a story. Enjoy!_

**Chapter One**

**Aldbourne, England**

**June, 1944**

Two lieutenants were walking along the line of tents on the fog covered field talking when a WAC lieutenant joined them. She walked between the two men wrapping her arm around the arm of the shorter of the two and leaning against him. They quietly conversed about the jump that had been delayed for the men as they walked along through the dense fog. As they passed a large crate they sat upon it and when they did the young woman continued to lean against the dark haired lieutenant and rested her head against his shoulder.

The two men were reflecting upon their time in training when they had to be under the horrible command of one Captain Herbert Sobel and were forced to constantly run Curahee, which was now the Company's fond chant. As they reminisced the young woman discreetly reached a hand down she clasped the hand of the other lieutenant.

Feeling her hand on his Lt. Dick Winters looked down at their joined hands before glancing up at the woman whose hand rested warmly upon his. She gave him a warm and caring smile before squeezing his hand. Giving her a small smile he turned his hand so that their fingers intertwined and squeezing her hand in return he turned to look out at the field again.

"So, Evie, what have you heard up at HQ about our jump?" Lt. Lewis Nixon asked the girl beside him.

"Well, cousin, from what I have been able to gather you will make the jump as soon as this fog clears up," Lt. Evelyn Westin replied with an impish grin.

"That was already clear to us, cousin," Nix replied with a feigned look of disapproval. "Can you give us anymore information?"

"They only tell me what I need to know. I'm just a secretary," she responded with a shrug.

"But you are the secretary to a major and that gives you greater privileges and you're as sneaky and crafty as I am so what do you know?"

"Dick?" Evie whined.

"Leave her alone, Nix. Even if she did find something out she wouldn't be able to tell us or the major would be after her," Dick told Nix in Evie's defense.

"Thank you," Evie said with a sharp nod of her head. Sitting up straight she removed her arm from Nix's but kept her hand firmly in Dick's. She stuck her tongue out at her older cousin.

Evie was very close to both of the men she sat with. One she had known since birth and was like a second brother to her. The other she had met more recently and after seeing the close bond he had formed with her cousin had developed her own close friendship with him. Dick and Nix had met during their training and while on leave once they had met up with Evie. She meant the world to Nix and he had hoped that they would get along. They were the only two people that Nix knew and truly cared about in the world. His greatest hope was that they all would make it through the war and be able to live out their lives as close friends.

"They've decided to transfer me," Evie announced rather shyly.

She was stationed as a secretary to a major with the 82nd Airborne and that meant that the two men could easily keep tabs on her. With the shocking news of her transfer they both sat up straight and turned to look at her.

"What do you mean they're transferring you?" Nix asked. Thoughts were already racing through his head of how he could stop it and keep her where she was.

Dick gave Nix a look before returning his attention to Evie. "I think he means to ask where are they transferring you to?"

She smiled at the two of them. "You, boys, are looking at the new secretary for Colonel Sink. I will be following you two around with him." She took hold of Nix's chin and shook his head as she spoke to him in the voice one would use with a child. "So you and Dick will still be able to keep tabs on me."

Nix knocked her hand away and stood up to stare down at her. "Like hell you will be following us around."

Evie stood up so he was no longer towering over her but she still had to look up to look him square in the eye. "Yes, I will. I am the only secretary qualified enough to follow him into combat. Plus, I've worked with him before and he likes having me around. He treats me like I'm his daughter and he won't let anything happen to me. Another added bonus is that Tom is happy about it because it means that we will be able to continue to see each other throughout the war. Don't you want me to be able to see my fiancé more?"

"There isn't a man that can take that job so that you can stay safely away from the actual fighting?" Nix asked.

Dick sat back and silently watched their fight. He knew that Evie would win in the end and that there was no point in arguing with her. Dick also felt that she was competent enough to be Sink's secretary while he was traveling throughout Europe. Both he and Nix had trained Evie so that she could get her jump wings and if there was any woman that he wanted wearing the Screaming Eagle patch it was her.

Evie laughed. "We both know that I am more qualified than any man in any unit of the Army and _you_ helped to train me to get my jump wings. Having those just tipped the scale into having Sink pick me above everyone else."

"I didn't think you would actually be using them when I trained you."

"I still probably won't be using them. Sink just thought that it would be best if his new secretary had her jump wings."

Dick stood up choosing to end the argument now. He wrapped an arm around Nix's shoulders and Evie's and pulled them close to him. "Give it up, Nix. You know that there isn't anyone better for the job than our Evie here. Now we know that things definitely won't get screwed up. We are basically putting our lives in her hands and I wouldn't want anyone else watching my back in this war. Plus she deserves to be able to see Meehan throughout this horrible war because it will bring her a little bit of happiness."

"Thanks, Dick," Evie said as she stood on her tiptoes and quickly pressed a kiss to his cheek.

When she stood back they both looked into each other's eyes and a deep blush spread across Evie's cheeks. She couldn't believe she had actually just done that and she cast her eyes downward. When she chanced a glance back up at his face she found that he had a light blush on his cheeks. Through his own embarrassment he still managed to smile warmly down at her.

Nix watched the interaction between them and couldn't help but smile. He knew that Evie was engaged to 1st Lieutenant Thomas Meehan, their commanding officer, and that she loved the man but he felt that there was still hope that his two best friends would be together. That had been his original intention for introducing the two of them.

With a sigh he chose to interrupt their moment. "I guess you're right, Dick."

"Why is it that as soon as he speaks up for me you suddenly think he's right but you never think I'm right in what I say?" Evie asked like a petulant child.

Nix chuckled and chucked her under the chin. "Don't act like that. Dick is just the more reasonable and logical of the three of us. Always remember that growing up you were the only one that I would trust at all. Although Jack was trustworthy to a point."

Evie chuckled. "He was but it was only to a certain degree."

Pulling her into a hug Nix whispered to her, "If you are confident you can do this job and if Sink is confident in you, too, then I don't see any reason why I shouldn't be confident in you as well."

Stepping back Evie smiled up at Nix. "Thank you." Then she turned to both men and grinned. "So who will be walking me home tonight?"

Both men looked down at their boots and feigned reluctant sighs. Evie crossed her arms over her chest and began to tap her foot impatiently. When neither one of them responded to her annoyance she chose to be vocal.

"Come on. I don't have all night and you both know that it is an honor to walk me home."

"I'll take her home tonight," Dick volunteered with a teasing grin.

"Okay. Thanks, Dick," Nix said. "Maybe I will see you tomorrow," he told Evie.

"You'll only be able to see me if this fog doesn't let up so let's hope that doesn't happen. If I don't see you then good luck with your jump," Evie replied pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Thanks. You take care and don't let Sink get you into any trouble." Nix kissed her on the forehead.

"Believe me he won't let me get into any trouble."

"Well, good night and good bye."

"Good bye Lew."

"I will see you later Nix," Dick said as he offered his arm to Evie.

"Yep. See you later, Dick."

Evie thread her arm through Dick's and together they set off into the town towards her current place of residence. For the first few minutes they chose to just walk in peaceful silence each of them just enjoying the quiet of the night. The silence was comfortable but Evie chose to break it because she had a question that she had meant to ask either Nix or Dick.

"Are you scared?" she asked as she cast a glance at him.

"Scared of what?" he asked in return.

"Are you scared to make the jump tomorrow if you have to?"

He paused and thought a moment. "I guess in a way I am but I know that it has to be done and I am proud to be a part of something so important. I chose to be a paratrooper because I wanted to know that the man I was fighting with was the best and only the best. I feel confident in that knowledge so I know going into the jump that the men I am making it with are completely trustworthy and won't let me down."

She leaned into him and sighed. "I wish I could be as confident about your jump as you and Nix seem to be but there is a part of me that is scared to death about what could happen to you. Tom seems to be more confident than anyone and he keeps trying to tell me that I have absolutely no reason to be afraid for any of you."

"A part of us is scared too, but we know that we can't let that get the best of us. If we do let the fear take over then it could mean that we and others could die."

"You are an amazing man, Dick Winters," she said with a smile and bright gleam in her eyes.

"The other men in the company are more amazing than me."

Evie shook her head. "You are far too modest."

They came to stop before a sizable house and turned to face each other.

"Well, I guess this is where I get off," Evie said with a sad look in her eyes as she bowed her head and looked at her feet.

Dick placed a finger beneath her chin and lifted her head so that she was looking him in the eye. "I want you to know something." He paused. "You are a lot stronger and braver than you give yourself credit for. I can't think of another woman that would volunteer to be the secretary to a colonel in the airborne division and be willing to follow him into battle."

She laughed. "I'm either brave or completely stupid."

"Stop it. You are brave and strong. Colonel Sink wouldn't have chosen you if you had volunteered out of stupidity. He can't have someone who doesn't know what their doing on his staff because it would risk too many lives. I hope Meehan knows how lucky of a man he is to have you as his future bride."

She gave him a shy smile. "Thanks, Dick, and I think he has an idea as to what he's getting himself into or he wouldn't have asked me to marry him."

"So I guess this is good night and good bye for now."

"I guess it is." She stood up on the tips of her toes and pressed a brief kiss to his cheek. "Take care of yourself out there when you make this jump and keep an eye on Lew and Tom for me…especially Lew. I worry about him and the thought that he at least has you out there in the field makes it only slightly easier for me to send him off."

"I will and you take care of yourself whenever you move out with Sink."

"I am sure that with Sink I will be a lot farther from danger than you will be. Don't worry about me but worry about yourself and your men. If you worry about that then you have enough on your plate without having to think about me."

"Good bye, Evie."

"Good bye, Dick. Take care."

With that he left her standing on the steps. She stayed there watching him walk away until he turned a corner and disappeared from sight. She wasn't sure how long it would be before she saw him again but she now knew one thing for sure that was that she truly cared about that man and that he took a piece of her heart with him into battle. All of the men of Easy Company took a piece of her with them but there were three men in particular that she wasn't sure she would ever be able to live without. Wiping the tears from her eyes she went inside and up to her room where she fell asleep crying into her pillow.

* * *

The next morning Evie woke up at her usual time and quickly throwing on her uniform she made her way to headquarters to find out if the jump was actually going to happen. Weather reports looked good and the fog had completely cleared up so the men were already getting ready out by the planes. Getting someone to cover her desk for her she ran down to the field and right to the spot where she knew Easy's men would be gearing up. She ran into several of the guys that she knew and after exchanging quick good byes with them she asked them where she could find any of the three men that she was looking for. The only one she was able to find was the one she looked for the hardest, 1st Lieutenant Thomas Meehan. With as bright a smile as she could muster on her face she ran up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Lieutenant Meehan?" she questioned softly.

He spun around with a serious look on his face but as soon as he saw that it was her a large grin spread across his face. He opened his arms wide to her and when she fell against him he pulled her tightly to him while burying his face in her hair.

"Lord…I am going to miss you," he murmured into her hair.

"I'm going to miss you more," she whispered.

"I don't think that's possible but it's nice to hear you say it." He pulled away but still held her close. He brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. "Hopefully this jump gives us a whole lot of leverage because I cannot wait to make you Mrs. Thomas Meehan."

She smiled up at him. "I can't wait to become Mrs. Thomas Meehan. I dream about the first time that someone will call me by that name and I really cannot wait." She grew serious then as she rested a hand against his cheek. "Please be careful. I cannot even begin to imagine what I'll do with myself if I lose you."

"Try not to think about that. I will not let it happen because I really do intend to make you my wife."

"I love you," she whispered softly.

"And I love you."

With that he kissed her and then rushed off to get on his assigned plane just before it was to take off. He gave her one last wave from the plane before turning to his men. She watched as every plane took off before returning to headquarters to wait for radio reports to come in as she packed things up to move out with Sink.

_Well I hope you liked it and please review. I've actually got the majority of the second chapter written. I just need to finish it up and edit it before putting it up. I'd like to get a few reviews before I put it up so that I can get a feel for whether or not people like the story. Thanks!_


	2. Chapter Two

_First off I want to apologize for the fact that I actually had the location wrong for the last chapter. It didn't take place in Aldbourne but rather Upottery. That was a great way for me to start off on fanfic…not! Anyways, here is my second chapter…read and review. I hope you enjoy it!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Band of Brothers but I do own Evie and her story._

**Chapter Two**

As Easy Company was fighting on the front lines in France Evie was back at Battalion HQ with Colonel Sink going through all of the reports that were coming in. Anytime that Sink went to the front lines Evie would always ask him to take her with him so that she could see the men she loved so much but he never once allowed her to accompany him. He always told her that things were too dangerous out there for her since the Germans were putting up a tough fight to try and keep France under their control.

It was getting exhausting for her to have to look at the names of the men she knew come across her desk. Every time a report was delivered to her desk with the name of one of Easy's men on it her heart broke just a little bit more. She would crawl into bed every night and before she fell into an emotionally exhausted slumber she would send up a prayer that the three men she held most dear were safe along with the rest of Easy Company.

Not even a week after the D-Day invasion Evie was sitting at her desk when another aide asked to be allowed to speak with Colonel Sink. She let the man into Sink's office before returning to her duties but only a few moments after the man had entered both he and Sink came out of the office.

"Lieutenant, can I have a word with you in my office?" Sink asked as he held a file in his hands.

"Certainly, sir," Evie replied as she got to her feet and followed him in.

"Close the door behind you."

Once the door was closed Evie turned her attention to Sink as he set the file on his desk and with a sigh he turned his attention back to her.

"Evie, I've got some bad news that I have to share with you. The private who just came in here brought it to my attention first knowing that you should actually hear it from someone rather than reading it from a report."

"What is it, sir?" she asked as her heart began to race and she came closer to him.

"The Airborne has come to the conclusion that one of the planes shot down on D-Day was Lt. Meehan's."

"But how can they assume that, sir? There are plenty of other men that are unaccounted for so how can they already make the assumption that his plane went down? So many men are still trying to get back to their companies that they just can't make these sorts of assumptions yet," she tried to rationalize as her brain seemed to go into shock.

"I'm sorry, Evie, but no one that was on his plane has shown up anywhere. It is safe to conclude that since no one has shown up that they were one of the planes that were shot down."

"But that would mean that he's…"

Sink nodded his head sadly. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Evie, but Lt. Meehan is gone."

"Oh god," she croaked out as she broke down.

He crossed the office and wrapped her up in a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry, Evie," he whispered into her hair as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.

They stood there in the middle of his office with his arms wrapped tightly around her for several minutes before he urged her to sit down in one of the two chairs he had in his office. He handed her his handkerchief before going to his desk and pouring her a of brandy that he kept around. Pressing the cup into her hands he urged her to drink all of it before he pulled up his other chair in front of her.

"I want you to take the rest of the day off and tomorrow as well," he told her.

"But, sir…"

"Now don't argue with me. I want you to take some time to yourself and that is an order. If I truly need you I can always send someone to bring you back in but I think right now you need some time to sort things out and give yourself a chance to mourn. I don't want to see you in this office the rest of today or tomorrow. Do you hear me?"

She nodded her head meekly.

"Good. Now, I'm going to have Sgt. Farnsworth take you back to your room so you can get some rest."

"I don't need an escort back to my own room, Colonel."

"Well, it would make me feel better to know that someone saw you safely to your room so do it for me."

With a reluctant sigh she nodded her head and followed his orders.

* * *

Near the end of June Easy Company was sent back to England to rest up after all of the hard work that they had done during the Normandy invasion. Evie had the day off and was just relaxing at the boarding house where she was staying and was taking the time to read a book in the parlor to keep her mind busy. She was seated on the window seat with her legs curled up under her when a soldier was shown into the parlor by her landlady.

"Good lord…aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" Lewis Nixon said as a greeting to her.

Evie's head snapped up at the sound of his voice and when she saw him standing in the doorway to the parlor wearing his dress greens and all cleaned up she smiled brightly. She quickly set her book aside and running across the room she threw herself into his comforting arms.

"I'm so happy to see you safe and sound," she cried into his shoulder. "I don't know what I would have done had I lost you, too."

"Ah, pet, you know I wouldn't let anything happen to me. I knew that you needed me too much," he lightly joked as he tightened his arms about her.

She laughed softly as she pulled away and tried to wipe the tears from her eyes. She looked up at him and gave him a watery smile. "It is so good to see you."

He brushed her hair back from her face. "It's good to see you, too. How are you holding up?"

She took him by the hand and pulled him over to a nearby couch where they both sat down. "The pain is still pretty raw but I'm throwing myself into my work and it's helping me to sort things out and move on."

He gently grabbed her by the chin and held her face up for his inspection. It was easy for anyone to see the deep blue circles that were underneath her eyes and even her bright blue eyes were duller than he always remembered them to be.

"Just remember that you need to take care of yourself," he told her in a stern but concerned tone. "If you don't take care of yourself than you're no good to any of us."

She nodded her head as she wiped another tear from her cheek. As another sob escaped her lips she scooted up close to him and wrapping her arms about his waist she buried her head against his chest. His arms instantly went about her and he held her shaking form as she let out all of the tears that she had been holding in check since Sink had told her about Meehan's death. It wasn't very long before they both fell asleep wrapped up in one another's arms and they didn't wake up until over two hours later.

Evie sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. When she opened them she found Nix looking at her with deep concern and a worried frown. She gave him a small smile.

"Don't worry about the fact that I just completely bawled my eyes out," she told him. "I just haven't allowed myself to cry since the day I first found out about Tom. I guess I was waiting for you to be there to comfort me. Just having you hold me as I cried like that has actually taken a load off my heart. I needed someone who loved me unconditionally to be there for me while I really accepted his death and you did that for me. Thank you."

He caressed her cheek. "There's no need for you to thank me. I'm just watching out for a girl that I love and a girl who is like a sister to me."

Her smile grew a little bit before she glanced up at the grandfather clock that stood near the door and she gasped. "It's well after two o'clock don't you have anywhere to be?"

He cursed and quickly jumped to his feet. "I'm supposed to be up at HQ in fifteen minutes meeting with Major Strayer and Colonel Sink."

"You'd better hurry then."

"I'll be sure to stop by again before I have to leave," he assured her as he kissed the top of her head. "See you later."

"Bye."

* * *

Evie was standing in the parlor speaking with Nix and Dick when her landlady showed yet another Easy Company man into the room. Her back was to the door but when she turned around she smiled brightly at the man.

"Hi Don. Did you also come to say good bye to me before you head back off to Europe?" she greeted Sgt. Donald Malarkey as she stepped toward him.

"Hello Evie," he greeted reluctantly. "I actually came by because I thought you might like this," he told her as he held out the package he had in his arms.

"What is it?" she asked as she came to him to take it.

"I stopped by to pick up my own laundry and Ms. Lamb asked me about the laundry she'd been holding for a few other men. This is Lt. Meehan's laundry. I wasn't sure what else to do with it when she asked me to take but I thought that since you and he were going to be getting married that you might want it."

Evie bit her lip as she took the package from him and held it against her chest. "Thank you, Don. I didn't even know that he had left any laundry with her or else I would have gone and picked it up myself. How much do I owe you for it?"

He shook his head as he began to twist his garrison cap in his hands. "You don't owe me anything."

She smiled softly at him. "Thank you, Don." Stepping in closer to him she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. "Take care of yourself over there. I don't want to be getting any sort of reports about you…and stay away from Army owned motorbikes unless given permission to use them."

He grinned at her and after saluting Nix and Dick he took his leave after saying his own good bye to Evie.

She turned back to the other two men running a hand longingly along the brown paper package she held in her arms.

Nix came to stand beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

She nodded her head as she brushed a single tear from her cheek. "Just fine." She set the package down on the couch and looked up at them. "I want both of you to be watching out for one another over there. If I get a report that either one of you has been hurt or…killed I will come and find you and there'll be hell to pay."

With a laugh Nix pulled her into a tight embrace. "You don't have to worry about a thing, Evie. Besides, we've got you back at HQ watching over our hides so nothing bad can happen to us."

"I may be watching out for you at HQ but I am not out there on the frontlines watching your back with a weapon of my own so be careful."

"Well, we certainly would win the war if they let you out there on the frontlines with us," Dick joked as he stepped forward to exchange his own brief embrace with her.

"Okay, now…enough crying and whining. It is time for the two of you to get back to your own rooms to pack up your stuff so that you're ready to leave with the rest of the company," Evie told them as she began to guide them toward the door. "Plus, I have to get back to HQ because Sink has a lot of paperwork for me to be taking care of since we're all moving out to France."

"So you'll be heading to France with us this time?" Nix asked as they headed toward the door.

She nodded. "I won't be a part of the main assault like the two of you and Easy but I will be coming in behind you once they've found an appropriate spot for us to set up Battalion HQ. Sink is going to be keeping me by his side at all times unless he goes to the frontlines and doesn't want me that close to danger."

"Good. Good bye, Evie," Nix said as he kissed the top of her head.

"Bye, Evie," Dick said as he hugged her again.

"Good bye, boys. Hopefully it isn't too long before we see each other again," she said as she smiled and waved them off.

War was an exhausting experience. Not only was she emotionally exhausted every night when she climbed into her bed but every time that she had to say good bye to someone she loved it took a toll on her. She cared about too many men that belonged to Easy Company and although she knew that they would do anything for each other she wanted her chance to be by their sides watching out for them. Instead she was back sitting behind a desk pushing papers and reading the reports that came in about their movements and who was wounded or who was killed. She prayed to God that their next mission was successful so that the war could be over more quickly than it seemed to be going.

_This is actually my second version of this chapter. In the first one I had Evie actually in France on D-Day just before the assault on Brecourt Manor talking with the men of Easy but I didn't think it was believable that she would be that close to the front lines especially during an invasion like D-Day. Plus, after re-watching the third episode, Carentan, and seeing that they actually went back to England toward the end of June I thought it would be good to have her interact with them then. And I liked the idea of having Malarkey bring Meehan's laundry to her since he got it at the end of the episode. Well, I hope you liked it and please review to let me know how I'm doing._

_~a modern girl with an old soul_


	3. Chapter Three

_Disclaimer: I do not own Band of Brothers…but I do own Evie and her story._

**Chapter Three**

**Aldbourne, England**

**September 1944**

The men of Easy Company including the replacements were all gathered together at a local pub trying to relax and enjoy the time that they currently had off. They weren't sure when the next time would be where they wouldn't have to be constantly on their toes watching their backs so they were making the most of the time that they had. When Evie walked into the pub wearing her dress pinks and greens with a garrison cap on her stylishly coiffed hair and makeup skillfully applied she earned many appreciative whistles. She grinned at the Toccoa men that had greeted her with wolf whistles as she made her way through the pub. When she finally made it to the bar she stood beside Bull Randleman as she leaned against it and smiled charmingly up at him.

"Hello Bull," she greeted sweetly.

"Hello Evie," he returned as he inclined his head toward her.

"Buy a girl a drink?" she asked with the same charming smile.

He chuckled and waved the bartender over. "I'm buying the pretty lady a pint," he told the man as he handed over the right amount of money.

With a nod the bartender poured the drink and handed it to Evie.

She thanked the man before lifting the glass and turning to Bull. "I drink to you, Bull Randleman. I love you and wish you well throughout the war."

He raised his own glass to her. "To you, Evelyn Westin. I don't think there's a prettier WAC lieutenant in the whole damn army."

With a laugh and a smile Evie followed him through the bar as he made his way toward a table where some of the replacements from his squad sat. She saw a game of darts going on between Buck, Luz, Babe, and Joe Toye so she excused herself from Bull's side and went to watch the entertaining match up. As she approached them they had just made a bet of two packs of cigarettes for whoever won the next game and Buck was lining up his first shot.

"Lieutenant, are you going to shoot lefty all night?" Luz asked with a suppressed grin.

Evie took a sip of her beer to stifle her own laugh as she knew that Buck wasn't a lefty at all and that he was a great shot when it came to darts.

"Hey, c'mon," Joe Toye complained as he realized what was going on.

"I'm just curious 'cause he's right handed," Luz said in his own defense.

Buck switched the dart into his right hand. "George, what would I do without George Luz?"

He shot the dart and got a bulls-eye without any effort and both he and Luz cheered. They turned to Babe and Joe motioning for them to pay up.

Shaking her head as she laughed softly Evie stepped up to the two winners. "The two of you are wicked," she commented as she poorly tried to suppress her laughter.

"Good evening, Evie," Buck greeted her with a charming grin.

"Evening, Buck," she replied with a sweet smile.

"Good evening, Lieutenant," Luz greeted with a small salute.

She laughed softly. "Evening, George. How are you?"

"I'm doing just fine." He lifted his empty glass. "I think I'll go get another so that I can be doing great."

With a laugh Evie stepped out of his way as he headed for the bar. Buck pulled out one of the chairs at a small table for her and once she took it he sat down next to her.

"So how have you been, Evie?" he asked as he took a long drink from his glass.

"I've been better but I've also been worse," she answered as truthfully as she could. "How about you?"

"I'm not in a foxhole right now so I'm just grand," he answered with a grin. "I see you're no longer wearing your engagement ring," he pointed out as he nodded toward her left hand.

"A few weeks ago I felt that it was time for me to stop wearing it so that I could really start moving on. Besides there are some things that I've been thinking about that really change the way that I look at that ring."

"Want to talk about it?"

She shook her head as she flashed him an appreciative smile. "I'm still too caught up in my own head with my own thoughts to even try and articulate them to someone else."

"Well, if you ever need someone to chat with you know I'm here for you and so are all of the men of Easy."

"Thanks but I think right now I'd just like it if you boys were to help me take my mind off of everything that has been going on."

"We can do that," he said as he motioned for Luz to bring over fresh beers for him and Evie.

When Buck's attention was no longer on her Evie tried to pick up on some of the conversations that were going on around her in the noisy bar. She was close enough to a small table of replacements that she heard Cobb giving one of the replacements flack about one of the medals he was wearing.

"What's your name?" Cobb asked.

"Miller," the replacement replied. "Private James Miller."

"Where'd you get that?" she heard Cobb say in a condescending tone.

"It's the Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation. For uh—for what the regiment did in Normandy," Miller reluctantly replied.

"That's right. For what the regiment did. You weren't there."

At this point Evie turned around in her chair so that she could watch the confrontation take place and step in if she needed to.

Hoobler stepped up next to Cobb and interjected. "Hey, hey, ease up on him, Cobb. It's a unit citation."

With a sad frown Evie watched as Miller removed his ribbon and setting it down on the table he got up and walked away from the group.

Bull picked up the ribbon from the table and glared over at Cobb. "Shit, Cobb, you didn't fight in Normandy, neither."

Cobb turned to one of the other men seated at the table. "I got hit in the plane before I even got a chance to jump," he tried to explain.

Evie turned back to Buck just as Luz brought over their fresh beers. "Excuse me for a few minutes, will ya?"

Buck had caught the tail end of the confrontation and nodded as Evie stood up.

She walked over to Bull and simply held out her hand as she looked up at him. He dropped the Citation ribbon into her palm as he gave her a slight smile because he knew she would be able to correct things. Once she had the ribbon in her hand Evie turned to Cobb with a cold glare.

"Cobb, I think it would be best if you cut yourself off now and maybe even went back to the barracks to sleep off your bad mood. No one gave you the authority to decide who gets what ribbons for this unit so you had better straighten up your act with the men who will be going into battle with you whether you like it or not. You got that, Private?" she scolded him as she stepped toward him.

"So now I have to take order from a WAC?" he jeered.

All of Easy's men that were within earshot got to their feet and began to close in on Cobb as he disrespected an officer and not just any officer but Lieutenant Evelyn Westin.

"Stand down, boys," she said in a low voice. She stepped up closer to Cobb so that she was only a few inches away from him. "I may be a WAC but I am still a commissioned officer in the United States Army with the rank of lieutenant so you _will_ follow my orders to the letter. Now you had better get out of this bar and back to barracks before I send someone for the MPs and they will follow my orders in court martialing you for disobeying a direct order and insubordination. You got that, _Private_?"

As Cobb caught sight of the men beginning to really close in on him he pushed his way through them toward the door.

When Cobb was gone Evie let out a long sigh before straightening her jacket and turning to smile softly at the crowd that had gathered behind her. She excused herself and went in search of Private Miller. She found him just outside the bar smoking a cigarette and looking up at the night sky.

"Private," she called as she approached him.

"Ma'am," he greeted as he straightened to attention and saluted her.

"At ease, Private," she told him with a soft smile. "Only the men I don't like have to be so formal with me so you can relax."

He smiled awkwardly at her. "Is there something that I can do for you?"

"Well, you could stand at attention for just one quick moment," she told him as she stepped toward him.

He followed her order and watched as she pinned the Unit Citation ribbon back on his uniform jacket.

"You are a part of this unit now so you deserve this Unit Citation," she told him as she smoothed it in place. "Don't ever let any of the other men tell you differently. And don't worry because as soon as they see that you'll perform just as strongly as them out in the field they will accept you into the group. You just have to give it time. You're taking the place of one of their friends that they lost so they are going to be a little bitter but given time you'll be just another member of Easy Company."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"There's no need to thank me, Private. I am just telling you what any one of those men in there would be telling you if they weren't so grief stricken by all of the friends they've lost."

"I know but you've lost someone, too, haven't you?"

She held back her tears as she smiled up at him. "Yes, I did lose someone but I've chosen to deal with it differently than the men have. I guess that's my prerogative as a woman…I get to be all weepy and sad while they can only seem to get angry."

Evie was about to say something else when she saw Lip coming up to the pub with a forlorn expression. She knew what was going on and with a sad look in her eyes she placed a hand on his arm just as he was about to pass her. He looked at her and she could see the sadness and reluctance in his eyes. He didn't want to have to go and ruin everyone's night but he was forced to because it was his new job as First Sergeant.

"They've passed it down already, haven't they?" she asked him.

He nodded his head. "Now, I have to go in there and deliver the news."

"They won't blame you," she assured him with a small smile.

"That doesn't make it any easier."

She nodded as he walked past her.

"Come on, Private. You should be in there to hear this news, too," Evie said as she thread her arm through his and guided him back into the pub.

_So this is just a short chapter that I wanted to get in to show Evie interacting with the rest of Easy Company. I hope you liked it and review so I get a feel for how people are feeling about the story or if I should rethink the path its taking before I get too far into it._

_~a modern girl with an old soul  
_


	4. Chapter Four

_Disclaimer: I don't own Band of Brothers…I do own Evie and her story._

**Chapter Four**

**October 1944**

**Holland**

Hurrying from the building holding Sink's office and her own desk Evie flipped through some of the papers in the file she held open in her hands. She wasn't paying attention until she heard the door labeled 'Battalion HQ' swing open causing her head to pop up. When she met the gaze of the man coming out of the building a light blush colored her cheeks to find herself staring into the bright blue gaze of none other than Captain Dick Winters.

"Evie?" he questioned as he looked at her.

None of the men had ever seen Evie in her ODs. They were exactly like the ODs given to the men but they had been tailored to fit her shape and size. She didn't have all of the same pieces that the men did but instead she merely had a belt about her waist which held a sheathed knife and a holstered pistol, the only weapons she had been given. Her uniform was almost exactly like those worn by Easy Company, even with the Screaming Eagle patch on her arm, but rather than having U.S. Army insignia on her collar she had the WAC Pallas Athena insignia.

She smiled slightly at him as she announced, "The one and only." She looked down at her uniform briefly before meeting his gaze again. "I know I look a little different in my ODs but I certainly couldn't follow you boys around Europe in a skirt and heels."

"No…that would prove to be difficult. How have you been?"

"Good. How about yourself?"

He shrugged. "As good as can be…I guess."

"Congratulations on the promotion to Battalion XO."

"Thanks…"

She shot him a confused look. "You don't sound very happy to be promoted. What's wrong?"

He shrugged again. "I guess I'm just not very cut out for all of the paperwork that's involved in being the Battalion XO. I think I belong in the field more than I do behind a desk in some stuffy office."

She gave him a warm, understanding smile. "You miss the men of Easy, don't you?"

He nodded.

"Try not to worry about them. Moose is a good leader. You left them in capable hands and trust me…soon enough the paperwork gets easier. You're doing your part for Easy by seeing to their well being at Battalion and I'm sure that they're grateful to you for that. I'm also sure that all of the Toccoa men are proud that you've made it this far."

He gave her a small smile as he nodded. "Thanks. I think I needed that little pep talk."

"Anytime."

"Right. Well, I have more paperwork to complete back at my quarters. I guess I will see you around since I'm up here at Battalion a lot more with this promotion."

She nodded. "Feel free to stop by and see me anytime you like. It's always nice to see a familiar face amongst all this chaos."

"You bet it is. See you around," Dick said with a wave as he got into a waiting jeep.

"See you around, Dick."

Evie was just about to open the door to step in herself when yet again it was thrown open and she had to take a step back so that it wouldn't hit her in the face. Nix came out of the building grumbling about something and didn't notice Evie until she loudly cleared her throat and then his head snapped up.

"Cousin," he exclaimed as he pulled her into a hug.

"Hi Lew," she returned brightly as she tightened her arms about him. When she pulled away from him she had a disgusted look on her face. "Why do you smell so horrible?"

Nix grimaced. "Dick poured a pitcher of my own piss on me this morning when I wouldn't wake up."

Evie bit her lip to keep herself from laughing out loud. "Oh…how cruel of him."

"Stop it. I know you want to laugh so just let it out."

The laughter instantly bubbled up in Evie as she clutched her file to her chest. "Didn't you wash up before coming down here?"

"I washed as much off as I possibly could in the short fifteen minutes that I had been given but that meant I could only pour a pitcher of water over myself. Damn it…I need a shower!"

"That you do, cousin," she agreed with a laugh.

"Glad to see you find so much humor in this."

"How can I not?"

"Because I got my own piss poured on me."

"Well, you should have woken up when he first tried to wake you up. Look on the bright side, though…at least it was your own urine."

He tried to think of a retort but couldn't. "I guess you're right about that but I still don't understand why he had to take it that far."

"I'm sure he didn't know that it was urine in the pitcher when he poured it on you. For Pete's sake, why couldn't you have gone out to use the lavatory rather than pee in a pitcher and leave it near your own bed. That, cousin, is disgusting."

"It was the middle of the night and I was too tired."

"Poor excuse. Now, I have to get this file to Colonel Sink so I will see you later."

"Are you staying in the area?"

"Of course."

"Where?"

"The house just next to where Colonel Sink is staying…why?"

"I might stop by to visit with you if I have the time tonight."

"Isn't there a war or something going on that you need to be working on?"

He scoffed. "I'm just the intelligence officer. Once all the information is gathered there isn't anything else for me to do."

Shaking her head and laughing Evie said a quick good bye to Nix before stepping into the building and hurrying to find Sink.

* * *

That night as Dick sat at his desk trying to write out his report on the action that had taken place on October 5th Nix marched up the stairs dragging Evie along with him. At the top of the stairs Nix pushed Evie ahead of him as he raised his flask towards Dick who got up and opened up his foot locker. Evie shook her head as she sat on a chair that was against one wall of Dick's room.

"I don't know why I'm still doing this," Nix commented as he pulled out a bottle of Vat 69 and began pouring some into his flask.

"Drinking?" both Dick and Evie questioned at the same time before sharing a look.

Nix was too busy concentrating on pouring to notice the look between them. "No, hiding it in your foot locker. I'm a captain, for Christ sake."

Evie snorted from her seat.

"Why don't you just give it up?" Dick suggested.

Another snort, much louder this time, was heard from Evie.

"Drinking?" Nix asked as he took a seat on Dick's bed.

"No, hiding it in my foot locker. You're a captain, for Pete's sake."

Evie giggled from her seat.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe this is the perfect place to stop drinking. Right here on the business end of the Allied advance."

Evie stopped giggling and looked at her cousin in hopes that he was truly serious about his statement but he shot that hope dead quickly when he raised the bottle.

"Cheers!" Nix exclaimed before taking a long swig from the bottle.

Evie sighed and rolled her eyes. "I should have known that was too much to hope for," she grumbled.

"That hurt, pet," Nix said as he put the bottle away.

"Just thinking about what's best for you, cousin," she replied with a sweet smile.

This time it was his turn to snort.

She chose to ignore him then. "What are you working on, Dick?"

"My report about October 5th," he replied as he typed something else.

"You know it doesn't have to be literature," Nix commented. "Try using first person plural a lot…like we and us."

Dick just shot a glance up at Nix.

"Do you need any help typing it up?" Evie asked. "I have read a lot of reports like that so I could give you some pointers and as a secretary I am an amazing typist so I could easily help you write it out."

"Thanks, Evie, but I'm doing just fine on my own," Dick replied as he gave her a grateful smile.

"Well, if you don't want to take her help than I guess we will just go and finish our walk," Nix said as he got to his feet. "I do have to have her back to her room in about twenty minutes and we still have plenty to catch up on."

Evie stood up as well and wrapped her arm through Nix's. "I'm just happy you were able to really clean yourself off before coming to fetch me. It would have been murder to have to associate with you when you smelled like your own urine."

Dick chuckled at the remark. "So you told her, huh?"

"I had to when she gave me a disgusted look after hugging me earlier today," Nix explained.

"I don't blame you, Dick," Evie remarked. "He's always been too difficult to wake up in the morning. Perhaps this will teach him a lesson."

"We can only hope," Dick agreed.

"I am truly feeling loved by the two of you right now," Nix sarcastically commented.

Evie cooed to him before kissing his cheek as she laughed softly. "Come on. I have to be home shortly and Dick should be finishing up that report. Good bye, Dick."

"Bye, Evie."

"Bye, Dick," Nix said in an overly sweet voice.

"Good bye, Nix," Dick replied with a chuckle.

The two cousins each gave a parting wave before taking their leave. As they made their way down the stairs Dick heard Nix made some remark towards Evie making her push him into the wall. He chuckled as he heard Nix try to defend himself and he could easily picture Evie rolling her eyes as she urged her cousin to just continue moving down the stairs and to keep his mouth shut.

_Well, as always I hope you enjoyed it but review just so I can be sure that my story is any good. I think I'll have Ch. 5 up pretty soon because I've come down with the flu and can't actually concentrate on studying for my finals but it is pretty easy to concentrate on this since I actually enjoy it._

_~a modern girl with an old soul_


	5. Chapter Five

_Disclaimer: I don't own Band of Brothers…I do own Evie and her story._

**Chapter Five**

**December 1944**

**Paris, France**

Evie walked along the crowded Paris street with the two nurses she had recently met and another WAC secretary she had known for the past few months. She just happened to turn her head in the right direction and a certain American soldier seated at a packed cafe caught her eye. Excusing herself from the small group she grinned as she came to stand just before the soldier's table and he still didn't look up. She had, though, caught the attention of many of the other soldiers that were relaxing at the busy café but she didn't even notice this as her attention was focused solely on the man before her. She politely cleared her throat and he still didn't acknowledge her. Placing her hands on her hips she tapped her foot annoyed.

"Captain Richard Winters," she addressed him and his head snapped up.

As soon as she was met by his sparkling blue eyes her annoyance fled and she couldn't help but smile sweetly at him.

"Lieutenant Evelyn Westin," he greeted as a smile swept over his features. "How are you?"

"I'm good, I guess. How have you been?"

"Better but I can't really complain." His chair was shoved by the soldier sitting behind him and with an annoyed look Dick stood up. "What are you doing in Paris?" he asked Evie as he counted out the money for his small meal.

"I'm in Paris on a 48 hour pass. What are you doing here?"

"I've got a pass for 48 hours too. How would you like to spend those hours together? I don't know anyone else in Paris."

She smiled at him. "I guess I can leave the small group I was with and spend time with a close friend that I haven't seen in months."

"You have friends here? I'd hate to pull you away from them."

She waved a hand at him as his thoughts were unfounded. "Nonsense. I see all of them often enough and they wouldn't be offended if I chose to spend time with you."

"Well then, how about a walk around the city?" he asked as he offered her his arm.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," she said with a smile as she wrapped her arm through his.

They walked along in silence until the crowd around them had lessened and then Dick looked down at Evie in concern. He decided to be the first to break the silence.

"How have you been?"

"I think you already asked me that," she told him, feigning ignorance as to what he was referring.

"By your obvious avoidance of the subject one would assume that you are not doing well when it comes to what I'm talking about."

She sighed and looked up at him. "I lost my fiancé and that was something that was very difficult to get through." She paused and looked forward as she started speaking to him again. "It has been six months and whenever I had a moment to think about it I was able to come to several different realizations. These realizations have made it much easier for me to get through my grief and move on."

"Do you mind if I ask what these realizations were that you came to?" he pressed gently.

By now they were at a small park and Evie pulled him down one of the paths. She found a bench and sitting down she pulled him down beside her. After taking a deep, steadying breath she turned to look him directly in the eye.

"I came to realize that I never loved Tom as much as I had always thought I did. I did care for him and I loved him in a way but as I've thought about our relationship I noticed that I didn't look at him the same way he looked at me. Mine was a look of deep friendship and his was one of true and honest love. That was a look I never would have been able to give to him."

"Why not? You don't think that given time you could have?"

Evie smiled slightly as she looked down at her folded hands. "Perhaps I could have been able to love him the same way in time but there was a certain thing that got in the way." She paused and when he didn't say anything she looked up at him. She found him looking at her intensely and with what she could only call a suppressed look of hope in his eyes. "The thing that got in the way was that I was already looking at someone else the way I should have looked at him." He still didn't say anything and she sighed. "Dick, do you understand what I am trying to say?"

He just smiled and pulled her into his arms. She looked up into his eyes and saw the look that she wanted to see and she knew that it was a reflection of the look in her own eyes. Then she closed her eyes as Dick's lips descended to hers in the sweetest kiss she had ever experienced. Not only was it the sweetest kiss she had ever had but it was also the most passionate and the best. It surprised her that someone as shy and reserved as Dick Winters was able to kiss her like this and make her feel the way she was feeling. At first she thought that perhaps it was the feelings that she had towards him that made the kiss so much better. Then she felt her thoughts drift away as he intensified the kiss and she knew that it had to do with so much more than just her feelings towards this perfect man.

When he pulled back from her he looked down at her as she kept her eyes closed and savored the feelings that were rushing through her. Dick gazed at her and couldn't believe the perfection that he was allowed to gaze upon because he felt that she looked like an angel and God was giving him special permission to look at her and to hold her. When she finally did open her eyes he almost couldn't believe the range of emotions that he saw in them or the fact that the most obvious emotion in them was love. It was a true, honest, and deep love that he saw within the glittering eyes that gazed up at him. He smiled softly and she readily returned his smile.

"I love you, Evie," he whispered.

Her smile grew with his words. "I love you, too. More than I think you will ever know," she whispered sweetly back.

He pressed a swift kiss to her lips. "Believe me. I do know because I feel the exact same way."

She kissed him softly again. "When does your leave end?"

"I head back to camp tomorrow evening. When does yours end?"

"Same time and we're headed in the same direction so maybe we can arrange to ride together."

"I'd like that."

She caressed his cheek softly with her hand. "Can we spend our leave together? Without anyone else?"

"I can't think of a better way to spend my leave than with the beautiful woman I love."

With that she stood up and smiling down at him she held out a hand to him. He readily took hold of her hand and they strolled out of the park together as they chatted about what they should do for the rest of the day. They finally decided on just walking around the city and looking at all of the different sites that were there for them to see. After walking around for a couple of hours Dick suggested they get something to eat and so they found a quaint little cafe where they sat down at a small table set for two in a corner for a quiet dinner. When they were done eating they got on the train to head back towards the other side of the city for an evening walk along the Seine River.

On the train Dick allowed Evie to take the window seat and then sat down next to her with his arm on the back of their seat. They didn't talk during the ride as both of their attention was focused elsewhere. At one point Evie glanced over at Dick and saw that his eyes had a far off look to them and when she said his name he didn't respond. His look and his lack of response worried her so she called to him again but he still didn't answer her back. Carefully she pressed a hand to his face and tried to turn it so that he had to look her in the eye. This seemed to bring him quickly out of his trance as his hand shot up and fiercely grabbed her by the wrist. He turned to look at her with wide eyes.

"Dick," she said softly as she directed a glance towards his hand which tightly held her wrist.

His grip instantly relaxed and her hand came back to rest against his cheek.

"You're thinking about October 5th again, aren't you?" she inquired in a warm, concerned tone.

He nodded his head.

"Why don't we talk about it while we walk?" she suggested. "The train has stopped anyway so we have got to get off."

Dick's eyes shot around and he finally took note of the fact that the train had indeed come to its last station for the night. Taking Evie gently by the hand he led the way out of the train and once outside of the station he wrapped her arm through his. Then they headed in the general direction of the Seine River.

As they walked along the river Evie finally decided to broach the subject with Dick even though she suspected that a part of him hoped she would forget about it. "What were you thinking about on the train?"

Dick sighed. "Just like you said. I was thinking about October 5th again."

"What about it?"

"Everything that occurred. I killed a boy that couldn't have been more than sixteen. The men that I lead into battle are more like boys than men and still have so much life ahead of them. Then I lead them to their deaths and their lives are cut short."

Evie stopped walking and pulled on Dick's arm so that he would stop beside her. She placed herself in front of him and gave him a gentle but stern look as she caressed his cheek with her hand softly.

"Don't do this to yourself, Dick. Although you should worry about your men and mourn their deaths you cannot take the blame for them. If it wasn't for you and your leadership half of Easy Company wouldn't be alive today. Just think about what Sobel would have done to them."

Dick pulled his gaze away from hers and gazed up at the Cathedral of Notre Dame. It brought tears to Evie's eyes to see him so conflicted and sorrowful. Although she felt she could cry a river for the man before her and the men he had lost she held them in check so as to be some form of comfort to him since he obviously needed her to be strong for him.

"I know," he said when he returned his gaze to hers. "I guess it will just take some time before I'm able to completely accept that."

She smiled slightly but comfortingly. "Give it time. We can't accept things like this overnight."

He nodded his head and leaning down pressed a brief but sweet kiss to her lips. "Why don't I walk you back to your hotel?"

Evie looked up at the now dark sky. "I suppose that would be best seeing as how it is dark out."

They stayed silent as Dick escorted her back to her hotel and when he saw it coming up he was surprised to find that it was his hotel as well.

"You're staying here?" he asked shocked.

"It is where the Army has me set up for the weekend. Why?"

"This is where I'm staying, too."

She smiled at him and pulled him inside. "Then you wouldn't mind escorting me to my floor."

It just so happened that they were also staying on the same floor and Evie's room was on the way to Dick's room at the end of the hall. They stood outside of her room and said their good byes for the night and made plans to meet early the next morning. Dick promised to come get her for breakfast in the morning before kissing her good night and leaving her to go to his own room.

Evie went about her room and stripped her uniform off while being sure to put everything away neatly so that it wouldn't wrinkle. The whole time she was getting herself ready for bed her thoughts kept going back to Dick and his concerned thoughts for the men of Easy Company. She knew it was tough on him to have to give up his command of the men and sit behind a desk only reading papers about the men that were dying, the men that use to be his men.

As she sat at the vanity brushing her hair out she came to a decision and quickly pulling on her new silk robe she left her room. She remembered Dick's room number and hurrying down the hall she came to a halt before his door but before she knocked she stopped herself. She took a deep breath and considered just going back to her room but then she knew that this was what she wanted and so she let her knuckles rap against the wood door.

A few moments later Dick answered her knock with just a towel wrapped about his waist. It was obvious to her that he had been trying to relax with either a shower or bath and she once again reconsidered her idea to come to him as a deep blush colored her cheeks. Before she could run from him and back to her own room where she would most likely beat herself up for her childish ways Dick took her hand and pulled her into his room. Shutting the door behind her he wrapped his arms tightly about her waist and dipped his head down so that his lips met passionately with hers. When he felt the hesitancy in her response he pulled up and looked down into her nervous green eyes.

"I'm sorry. I thought that maybe this is what you came to my room for," he said as he began to pull away from her.

Evie quickly wrapped her arms about his waist and pulled him back to her. "I did come for this but...I've never done this before. I guess I'm just a little nervous." Dick smiled softly at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead and worked his way towards her mouth as she continued to ramble. "Please take it slow with me. I don't think my heart has ever beat this fast. I wasn't even this nervous when I was making my first jump."

With that Dick finally made it to her lips and instantly silenced her ramblings. He pushed her robe to the floor as he backed them up towards his bed where he laid her down gently beneath him using his forearms to keep most of his weight off of her.

* * *

The next morning Evie woke up to the sun shining brightly in through the filmy curtains and onto her face. She squirmed slightly as she tried to hide her face from the light and as she moved she felt Dick's arms tighten about her. She felt him pull her back tightly against the front of him and memories from the night before flooded her mind bringing a bright blush to her cheeks and a soft, warm smile to her lips. She couldn't figure out why she was blushing because at that moment as her limbs were intertwined with his and she could feel his soft breathing against her neck she had never been more comfortable or happier in all her life. She shifted a little bit more so that she more snuggly fit within his embrace and Dick's arms tightened even more about her.

"Stop moving," he said in a voice still thick with sleep. "I'm sleeping too comfortably to even think of getting up right now."

She laughed softly as she twisted around so that she was facing him and he opened his eyes slightly to look at her. "The sun woke me up and now I'm awake," she said with a slight pout.

"Well, I'm not ready to leave this bed so try to get back to sleep," he told her as he closed his eyes again.

"Who said anything about leaving this bed?" she said with a small smile.

His eyes opened right back up and he grinned at her.

Some time later they both lay spent and wrapped up in each other's arms both with soft smiles playing about their lips. As Dick lay on his back with one arm bent beneath his head and the other wrapped around Evie's waist she laid curled up against his side with her head resting upon his chest.

"Can we just spend all day in this room?" she asked with a content sigh.

"You won't find any argument from me. We should probably order some room service though because we will need nourishment."

At the thought of food Evie's stomach growled softly in the quiet room. She buried her face against Dick's chest as he chuckled softly.

"I guess I should order us some breakfast," he said as he rolled away from her to pick up the phone.

When he was done placing their order he returned to her and leaning over her he pressed her back into the bed as he trailed kisses along her bare shoulder and neck causing her to laugh softly.

_Well there it is…as always review to let me know how I'm doing and if anyone actually likes this story. Also I ask that you pray for me as I am in the middle of my college exam week and it is killing me._

_~a modern girl with an old soul_


	6. Chapter Six

_Disclaimer: I don't own Band of Brothers…I do own Evie and her story._

**Chapter Six**

Sink's jeep pulled up besides Dick and Nix and both men took note that Evie was seated in the back shivering because of the freezing temperatures. Nix noticed Dick look at Evie and give her a meaningful look before throwing her a small smile then quickly returning his attention to Sink. He looked at Evie just in time to see her look at Dick with a look that he could only say was a combination of deep love and concern. She did eventually return Dick's smile but hers seemed extremely unsteady.

When Sink drove off Nix turned to Dick but when Dick saw the look on Nix's face he turned away from his friend and tried to walk away. Nix wasn't going to let him get away that easily so he quickly followed after him.

"What is going on between you and my cousin, Dick?" Nix asked.

"What do you mean?" Dick asked feigning innocence.

"What was with that look between the two of you? What happened when both of you were in Paris? I am beginning to think that it was more than either of you ever let on."

Dick stopped in his tracks and turned to look at his friend with a mixture of confidence and nervousness. "I guess you could say that we got together while we were in Paris."

Nix laughed before throwing his arms around the man. "That's great! I had always hoped that something would happen between the two of you. I knew that you felt something for her but when she got engaged to Meehan I didn't think there was a chance in hell for the two of you. Glad to see that something good came of this damned war and everything that happened on D-Day."

Dick looked at Nix somewhat shocked. "You don't mind that Evie and I are together?"

"Hell no. When I introduced the two of you it was kind of in hopes that the two of you would start to see each other and who else do you think it was that made sure both of you had a 48 hour pass the same weekend and both in Paris. This makes me happy. The two people that I care about most in this world are together. I couldn't be happier."

A small grin appeared on Dick's lips. "I couldn't be either."

Nix chuckled and shook his head at his friend's glazed over eyes. "Come on. We've got a tough battle ahead of us. At least, you've got a girl to think of now."

With a nod Dick began to walk with the men as Nix threw an arm around his shoulders and chuckled.

"Wait a minute…you pulled strings to get Evie and I our passes for the same time and made sure that we would both end up in Paris?" Dick questioned as he paused to turn to Nix.

Nix grinned. "That was me."

"What did you do that for?"

"I had hopes that the two of you would run into one another so I just put things in motion."

"But you couldn't have known that we would just happen to run into one another. Paris is a huge city and right now it is full to the brim with soldiers."

"I just felt that if it was meant to be between the two of you then you would run into one another while you were both there. It is nice to see that I was right."

"It was pure luck that we actually ran into one another and that you're plans weren't for nothing," Dick commented as he shook his head and continued walking.

He didn't even pick up on the fact that Nix was grinning as if he knew about certain things that Dick didn't. Two of the things that he knew were the two nurses that Evie had been walking around with in Paris. He chuckled to himself and congratulated himself on his own personal genius.

* * *

The Division CP was meagerly decorated for Christmas that year as Evie entered the building alongside Colonel Sink. They were holding as traditional of a Christmas dinner as they could muster for the officers in the Division and Sink had asked Evie to come with him. They hadn't even been there that long and were still waiting in line to get some of the turkey that had been prepared when Sink stepped out of line and turned to Evie.

"I can't be here and do this," he told her with a grimace.

"What do you mean, sir?" she asked as she looked up at him.

"I can't be here and eat this food when I know that my boys are out there freezing and without a proper Christmas dinner. I'm finding myself a jeep and heading out to the line to see them. I'll say that I wanted to bring them General McAuliffe's message personally."

He turned to leave but Evie quickly grabbed his arm forcing him to turn and look at her.

"Do you mind if I join you, sir? It has been a long time since I've seen any Easy Company men and I don't think there's a better day than today."

Sink gave her a long look before nodding his head and extending out an arm for her to lead the way. They both grabbed their fur lined winter coats on the way out into the freezing evening and got into the first jeep they could find with the first available driver.

As Sink read General McAuliffe's Christmas message Evie sat in the back of the jeep bundled up in her coat and a blanket that had Sink had tossed back at her at the start of their drive. She looked around at the men of Easy Company that were gathered and their sight turned her heart cold as it attested to the horrors that they were facing. A part of her heart belonged to each and every one of these men and it actually physically hurt her to see them in such a horrible state.

Sink read the part of the message about the German commander asking for the surrender of the U.S. Army and she began to smile because she had already read the message. When Sink informed Easy that the response was simply "NUTS!" the men laughed.

"Allied Troops are counterattacking in force," Sink continued to read. "We continue to hold Bastogne. By holding Bastogne we assure the success of the Allied Armies. We know that our Division Commander, General Taylor, will say: Well Done! We are giving our country and our loved ones at home a worthy Christmas present and being privileged to take part in this gallant feat of arms are truly making for ourselves a Merry Christmas."

When Sink was done he headed back to the jeep and Evie turned her attention back to him from watching the men's reactions.

"Colonel?" she spoke just before he got into the jeep.

He paused to look at her. "Yes, Evie?"

"Could I possibly ask for a Christmas favor, sir?"

"And what would that be?"

"Could I have a few minutes to talk to my cousin and Captain Winters? It's been far too long since I last saw either of them and I just want to be sure that they're okay."

"Go on. Take as much time as you like. It is Christmas after all," Sink replied with a grin.

With a bright smile Evie stood up in the back of the jeep and Sink even lifted her up and to the ground by the waist. She quietly thanked him before going off in the direction that she had seen Dick walk off in. It didn't take her very long to find him walking through Easy's area of the forest and she hurried right up to his side.

"Do you know of a place where we could find a bit of privacy, Captain?" she said quietly enough so that only he would be able to hear her.

He looked down at her and then with a slight smile he took her hand in his and pulled her over to where the CP was located. He pulled her behind one of the larger trees there and after looking either way to see if anyone was around he pulled her body close to his.

Smiling up at him Evie pulled his head down to hers and pressed her lips to his in an urgent and passionate kiss. They both clung to one another and kept trying to pull themselves as close as was physically possible for them to do. As she kissed him Evie tried to pass her own warmth from herself into him as she could feel slight shudders go through his body. When they pulled away for air she looked up at him with brightened eyes that glittered slightly from unshed tears.

"I love you so much, Dick Winters, that I will never be able to fully express it to you," she breathed as she delicately ran a hand from his forehead down his cheek. "Always remember that no matter what happens, okay?"

"What brought that declaration on?" he asked as he looked at her in confusion and concern.

"That's just what I was feeling right then and I wanted you to know it."

"Well, then, know that I love you just as much and that I would do anything to see you safe and happy."

"I know. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas. Do you have to head back with Sink?"

She nodded her head. "He was just granting me a Christmas favor in allowing me to come and see you…as well as my cousin but I only put him in there so it wasn't obvious that you are the only man that I wanted to see."

He chuckled and pressed another soft kiss to her lips.

"I should probably take you back to the jeep then, shouldn't I?"

She nodded her head sadly.

They disentangled themselves from one another and after straightening their uniforms Dick took her hand and they walked back toward the jeep. He helped her stay steady as she climbed into the back and then he saluted Sink before stepping away and watching them drive away.

* * *

Colonel Sink had sent Evie into Bastogne with an armed escort to report on how things were going with the men there. She was also told to find someone from the frontlines to find out how their supplies were there and how morale was doing. Sink thought it would be easy for her to get a true account of how things were doing on the lines as she was so close with most of Easy Company's men who were in those positions. She was speaking with a local nurse – it had been weeks since she had last spoken with a person of the same gender – when she saw Doc Roe leaving the hospital. She quickly excused herself and ran after him.

"Eugene," she called out.

Doc came to a halt and turned toward her as she hurried up to him. "Lt. Westin…hello."

"Hi Eugene. How are you?"

"I'm doing alright…I guess. How are you, ma'am?"

"About the same…I guess. Come with me."

"Uh…I should be finding a jeep to take me back to the line, ma'am."

"Come with me, Eugene. I have something for you in my jeep and I am sure that it is something you'll want to take with you to the frontlines."

With a nod Doc followed her over to her jeep where she unburied a wooden crate and hefted it up onto the front seat. She lifted the top off and let him look at the contents.

"Word came up to me that you were low on a few things so I pulled a few strings and got what I could for you. In here, I got you some morphine, bandages, as much plasma as possible, and even some Lucky Strikes for the boys. Also there are two packages in there for Cpt. Winters and Cpt. Nixon. See that they get them, please."

Evie had managed to find enough spare time and the materials needed to knit a scarf for both Dick and Nix. They were made from a similar olive green as their uniforms so that they wouldn't stand out against the rest of their uniform. They were her belated Christmas gifts to the two men and she wanted to be sure that they got them for the rest of the winter.

He nodded. "I'd do just about anything for you right now, ma'am. Thank you so much for getting all of this for us. You don't understand how much help this will be."

"There's no need to thank me, Eugene. I am just looking out for my boys. I didn't get to chat with anyone on Christmas. How are they all doing?"

"We're all struggling but we're sticking together and making it through. We're paratroopers so as long as we stick together there isn't anything we can't get through."

"Of course, but be sure to let me know if you ever need anything…at all."

He nodded again as he picked up the crate.

"Lieutenant, are you ready to go?" Evie's escort interrupted.

"Yes, Sergeant, I am." She hugged Doc and wished him well before jumping into the jeep. As they drove off she waved back at him one last time.

* * *

While going through the many reports being sent through Sink's office Evie came across a notice that Buck had been sent to a field hospital with instructions for him to be sent onward to England. She finished up early that day and with Sink's permission she found her way to the field hospital and after some searching she found Buck's cot and Malarkey just happened to be visiting with his comrade. Grabbing a chair she saw nearby she pulled up beside Malarkey and smiled at him when he looked over at her.

"Well, hey there, lieutenant," he greeted her with a small smile.

"Don, I think you can call me Evie by now," she told him with a soft laugh.

His smile grew just a little bit. "Hey Buck. Look whose come to visit with you. It's Evie. Aren't you lucky to have a good looking girl like her coming to visit your bedside? Aren't you going to give her a proper greeting?"

Buck just waved a hand weakly at her.

Evie and Malarkey exchanged a sad and concerned look. Then Evie got up from her seat and moved around the cot so that she could kneel in front of Buck and force him to look her in the eye. As she spoke to him her voice was soft and low so that he would be the only one to hear her and she stroke a hand gently over his hair in a calming motion.

"I know that all of this has taken its toll on you and nobody blames you for how you feel right now. You have seen some things that would have broken weaker men down on the very first day but you held on and led your men and did what you were asked to do. The only problem is that with this war the Army, America, and even the world have asked ordinary men to do too many extraordinary things. You've done your part and that's all that we ask so take some time for yourself now before it rips you apart because when all this is over we're going to need you elsewhere. You've done great things and don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Take care and don't forget to write and stay in touch with all of us because you'll be in our thoughts."

With that she brushed a featherlike kiss on his lips and was about to stand up when Buck grabbed her wrist bringing her focus back on him.

"Thank you," he whispered in a choked up voice.

She gave him a sympathetic smile before kissing him on the forehead and standing up to return to Malarkey's side. He said his own quick good bye to Buck before heading out with Evie.

"What did you say to him back in there?" Malarkey asked as he lit up a cigarette.

"Just a few things that I think he needed to hear from someone," she said with a shrug.

"His girl broke up with him just before Christmas."

Evie felt anger boil up within her. "Why if I was stateside and knew where that girl lived…"

Malarkey put a hand on her shoulder. "We'd all do the same thing," he told her.

"That's just despicable. Doesn't she have any idea the sort of things he is facing over here? I don't care if you don't want to be with a man anymore you continue to stay with him and support him if he is on the front lines in a major war. She's an insult to our gender."

He chuckled. "Are you done now?"

She let out a slow breath. "Not even close but I won't force you to listen to me continue."

"Thanks." He turned to her and gave her a small smile. "Well, I've got to get back to the line. Can I get a good bye kiss like Buck did?"

She rolled her eyes but took his face in both of her hands and gave him a thorough kiss on the lips. When she pulled away he had a stunned expression on his face as he gazed at her.

"You tell any of the men out there that I gave you a kiss like that and I'll have your hide," she warned him.

A slow grin spread across his lips as he looked down at her. "Thank you very much, Evelyn Westin. You just made a soldier's year with that kiss there."

"Don't tell any member of Easy. I know all of you are close but that kiss is one secret you are going to have to keep to yourself."

"Of course," he told her with a serious expression before his grin reappeared. "I wouldn't want to share this memory with anyone anyways. I am keeping it all to myself."

She laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. "Take care of yourself, Don. I don't want to be having to visit you in one of these places. There is only so much that a girl can take."

"I'll do my best for you, Evie," he told her as he squeezed her tightly before letting her go.

A jeep pulled up beside them with a sergeant that called to Evie and with a last good bye she jumped into the passenger seat and the sergeant drove off.

* * *

When Easy Company was set to take Foy Sink wanted to be on the front line to watch as the battle progressed. He allowed Evie to join him as long as she was sure to stick by either his side or the side of one of his officers. As Sink's jeep pulled up both Dick and Nix were surprised to find her sitting in the back but let it go and turned their concerns to the battle at hand. They figured that Sink had to have some sort of reason for bringing Evie this close to danger or else he wouldn't have even considered bringing her with him.

As the attack began Evie stayed just inside the tree line between Nix and Sink with Dick not too far away from them. She cursed under her breath as Dike's inept leadership showed through and threatened the lives of the men. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as Dick's anger and frustration grew by leaps and bounds. Suddenly Dick picked up his own gun and started to march out of the forest as if he was going to lead the attack himself. Sink yelled at Dick and ordered him to come back.

Evie knew this wouldn't work with Dick so she took a more direct approach. She ran up to him and grabbed him by the arm, forcing him to turn around. "Dick," she yelled.

He spun around so quick that it almost made her head spin. "What?" he yelled right back.

She looked up at him and couldn't believe that the hard, cold blue eyes before her now were the same that had always looked at her with tenderness and love. They most certainly couldn't be the same eyes she had been mesmerized by in Paris. She let her own anger show through so she wouldn't cower before him as she talked him down but she couldn't stop the love that still showed through.

"I know you want to lead Easy but its not your job anymore. You're Battalion XO so you have to think..."

Before she could finish her sentence Dick ripped his arm from her grasp and went back to his post. Evie just stood in her spot dumbstruck from shock. She was only brought out of her daze when Lieutenant Speirs of Dog Company ran by her. Turning back to the forest she walked back to her own place between Sink and Nix. As she passed by Dick she looked up at him but when she made to speak she received a harsh glare in return. She held the tears back and went to stand beside Nix who wrapped a comforting arm about her shoulders. When she stole a glance at Sink she found him giving her a pitying look as well. Did everyone know about her relationship with Dick?

As Speirs took the attack into Foy everyone's focus returned to the men of Easy. Evie wiped a single tear from her cheek and took hold of her emotions. She needed to be focus on the job at hand and deal with her personal issues when she had the time.

Once Easy had taken the town everyone breathed a sigh of relief in their spot overlooking the town. Evie's body relaxed a great deal and she leaned into Nix and the little comfort that he was able to offer her at this point.

That night when Evie had returned to Battalion CP with Sink she was busying herself with different reports that needed to be passed along to different offices when she spotted Dick approaching her desk out of the corner of her eye. She sat up straighter and gave him a smile as he came close but he only continued to scowl at her. He stopped before her desk and setting his hands on it he leaned down so that his face was close to hers.

"Don't ever think about berating me in front of the men again," he said in a low voice.

"I never berated you," she argued in a soft, slightly confused tone.

"You started to and I won't have it. If you ever try it again I will pull rank and find some way to get you shipped off somewhere else to be somebody else's problem."

She took a deep breath through clenched teeth so that she wouldn't yell at him right then and nodded her head.

He stood up and straightened his uniform a bit. "Good. Now, I was told that Colonel Sink wanted to speak with me."

She nodded. "Just allow me to tell him that you're here, _sir_, and I will see if he's ready for you yet."

She got up and lightly knocked on Sink's office door. He told her to enter and she stuck her head in. "Colonel, Cpt. Winters is here to see you," she informed him in a barely controlled voice.

Sink looked up at her and met her gaze. He had spent enough time with her now to be able to tell that she was straining to hold back the tears that wanted to come. He nodded at her and told her to let him in.

Stepping away and leaving the door open Evie waved her hand into the office so that Dick would know to go in.

_There it is. I know this was a little bit longer than my other chapters but I just thought it would be best to get everything dealing with the Battle of the Bulge over with in one chapter. I did this because with the way things were on the front lines where Easy was I didn't see Evie having much of a chance to spend time with them as she never would have been very close to the front lines. I did what I could with putting Evie in the position to interact with Easy Company and I hope you liked it. As always I ask that you review so that I can know how I am doing. Things should be going by quickly now since I am on my Christmas break from college and at home where my brother has Band of Brothers on DVD so I can easily watch it and collect ideas._

_~a modern girl with an old soul_


	7. Chapter Seven

_Disclaimer: I don't own Band of Brothers…I do own Evie and her story._

**Chapter Seven**

**Sturzelberg, Germany**

**March 1945**

Going along with her normal routine for the day Evie grabbed a cup of coffee from the fresh pot that had been made by someone in the office and went to her desk just outside of Colonel Sink's office. Once she sat down behind her desk she picked up the pile of new files and reports that had been deposited on her desk and began reading through them to figure out what needed to be done. She was halfway through the pile when she paused on a particular piece of paper that had a familiar name on it. Sink had arrived just moments after she had started working on the pile and so with the piece of paper in hand she got up and knocked on his office door.

"Enter," she heard his deep voice from the other side.

Cautiously she opened the door and stepped into the office shutting the door behind her.

"What can I do for you, Evie?" Colonel Sink asked as he sat back in his chair with his own cup of coffee.

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about this form I just found on my desk, sir," Evie started.

"I don't know how I could actually help you seeing as how I think you know all of the protocol better than I do by now but if I can help then of course I will," he answered her with a grin.

She bit her lip. "Well, sir, it is actually about the form approving the demotion of my cousin, Cpt. Lewis Nixon, from Regimental S2 to Battalion S3."

Sink nodded. "I was wondering when you would come across that form. I wish I could do something different but I can't let my personal feelings for a soldier get in the way of making a decision that's best for the whole regiment."

"I understand that, sir, but could you at least inform me of what the reasoning behind the demotion is?"

"Since your Cpt. Nixon's cousin I see no reason not to." He sat up and leaned forward on his desk. "It appeared to all of us back at Regiment HQ that he wasn't dealing well with all of the politics involved with his position and that he handled battalion workings much better. Also, on a more personal note, it looks as though Nixon has developed a bit of a drinking problem, Evie."

Evie let out a disappointed sigh. "I knew that was going to catch up with him."

"Don't give him too hard of a time, Evie. A war like this changes even the best of men. It is all a matter of how people choose to handle the things that are going on around them. Drinking seems to be the way that Cpt. Nixon has chosen to handle it."

She nodded her head. "Thank you for letting me know, sir."

"Certainly, Evie. I hope everything turns around."

"Thank you, sir. I'll leave you alone now."

With the paper still in hand and thoughts racing through her head she returned to her desk and after taking a deep breath she turned her concentration to her work. When she had a few moments to herself before going to sleep then she would figure out what exactly she was going to do with her cousin.

* * *

When they arrived at the camp that Easy Company had found Evie had been prepared for the worst but what she saw she had thought was unthinkable. Sink had warned her to be ready for a horrific sight but she felt that no one could prepare themselves for this. She got out of the jeep and started to walk towards the gate shocked by everything that she was witnessing. She found Bull just inside the entrance and she walked up to him and he seemed to be just as stunned by the sight as she was.

"What is this?" she asked quietly as she continued to watch skeletal men come forward.

"It's some sort of camp for Jews," he responded turning to her. "I guess they've been finding these all over the place."

Evie watched as a man stepped towards some of the soldiers crying hysterically. He was carrying the skeletal remains of a man who was quite clearly dead.

"Oh god," Evie gasped.

She turned to Bull and buried her face against his chest. He wrapped an arm about her shoulders and held her tightly to him. His lips rested against her hair as he murmured soothing, comforting words to try and calm her down. Evie tried to hold her tears back but after everything that she had been a witness to lately she just couldn't anymore. The tears traveled silently down her cheeks and her shoulders shook with suppressed sobs. They stood like this for several minutes before Evie stood back and dried her tears.

Bull looked down at her in concern. "Are you okay?"

Evie wiped a final tear away before giving him a shaky smile. "I will be but I should be getting back to work before Colonel Sink comes looking for me."

"I'll see you later, yeah?"

"Of course. At least I'm not going anywhere with this war going on."

She left Bull with a slight smile on his face. Returning to where Colonel Sink was standing beside his jeep she found him speaking with a doctor. She stood just behind him and listened to the doctor's advice.

"We need to get them back into the camp. They're extremely malnourished and so their food intake needs to be monitored or they could literally eat themselves to death," the doctor informed Sink.

"You want to lock these people back up?" Evie railed at the man. "They are human beings not animals, doctor."

"I know that, lieutenant, but they need to be monitored and until we can find some place better for them we cannot have them wandering around the country. They wouldn't survive."

Evie looked up at Sink in hopes that he wouldn't follow through with what the man was suggesting. He looked down at her and shook his head.

"It is a crime that we are forced to do this but it is the best solution to keep those people alive," Sink informed her.

She watched slack jawed as Sink and the doctor went to speak with Dick and Nix. Once Dick had his orders she watched as he called Leibgott over and informed him of what he had to tell the prisoners. The pain she saw on Leibgott's face wrenched at her heart. She found Sink walking back towards her so she held her tears in check.

"Evie?" Sink spoke to her.

She focused her attention on him. "Yes, sir?"

"Why don't you ride back into town with the boys and spend some time with them? Maybe you can lift their spirits some," he suggested kindly. "In fact, spend the night in town with them. I will have a jeep sent for you in the morning."

"I think I'd like that, sir. It has been too long since the last time I talked to my cousin."

"Then go and do that. The jeep will pick you up at 0800 in the morning."

"Thank you, sir."

She hurried over to Leibgott's truck and looked up at the replacement sitting above her. "Private, give me a hand up."

The young man gaped down at her but extended an unsteady hand down to her. "Yes, ma'am."

Once on the truck she ignored the still gawking private and sat down beside Leibgott. "You okay, Joe?" she asked laying a gentle hand upon his arm.

Leibgott looked over at her and she saw the tears in his eyes as he tried to hold them back. "I can't believe I just had to tell them that. Why did I have to be the one to tell them that?"

Her eyes softened but she stayed strong and wouldn't cry in front of him. "By keeping them there the doctors can monitor them easily and get them better. You had to tell them because none of us speak German."

"Webster does."

"Yes but you still had compassion when telling them what had to be done. They needed to see that although we are locking them back up we still care about them and their needs." She squeezed his arm. "Don't take it out on yourself. You were just following orders."

"Right. Thanks." With that he leaned away from her and stared at the passing woods but his eyes had a far off look.

Sighing Evie moved to sit next to Malarkey and leave Leibgott to his own thoughts and emotions. "How are you doing, Don?"

"I've been better but now that I've got such a beautiful woman sitting next to me things are looking up," Malarkey said with a grin as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and shot her a meaningful look.

Evie laughed but leaned into his embrace. "Glad I could make your day a little brighter."

"Honey, you always brighten up our day," Luz informed her as he sat on her other side.

She stared him down. "Don't ever call me honey again, George Luz, or you will really wish you hadn't."

Malarkey laughed as Luz swallowed and looked uncomfortable and a little worried. Evie then smiled at Luz and patted his cheek.

"Hey private," Malarkey called to get the attention of the replacement who was still staring at Evie.

"Sir?" the young man responded sitting up.

"Quit staring at the lieutenant here. She's a good friend to us Toccoa men and she happens to be the cousin of our very own Captain Nixon. If she were to take offense it wouldn't be pretty for you."

Evie laughed and shook her head. "Ignore him, private. Although please stop staring. I don't like the attention."

"Sorry, ma'am."

When they got back into town Evie was given a room in the same house as all of the officers. She left her things on the table in the room and went in search of Nix. Running into Harry Welsh she asked him and he told her that he had last seen Nix looking for a bottle of Vat 69. She rolled her eyes and stepped into the bakery for some food.

Once in the bakery Evie was able to use her scrounging abilities that she had learned from Nix and her own charms to get together a decent lunch for two. She packed everything into a basket she found and set off in search of her cousin. After several minutes of wandering the town she finally found him sitting rather dejectedly upon a stone wall. Standing in front of him she pulled a bottle of wine out of the basket and kicked his boot. He looked glumly up at her.

"It's not Vat 69 but it is alcohol," she commented gesturing to the bottle.

He quickly took it out of her hands. "You got a corkscrew?"

"Like I would forget that?" she scoffed. Reaching back into the basket she retrieved a corkscrew and tossed it to him. She sat down beside him and handed him a sandwich that was wrapped in a linen napkin. "Eat something along with it."

He took a swig of the wine and after swallowing shrugged at the taste. Taking the sandwich he took a bite and smiled. "Ham and swiss. You're an amazing scrounger."

She shrugged as she took a bite of her own sandwich. "You're pretty good yourself."

He shook his head. "The best I could have done is a Spam sandwich. This is amazing."

She took a swig of the wine. "I have my feminine charms working for me as well."

"I could make a fortune if I had some of those."

She laughed and shook her head. Then her mood turned serious. "Now, what has you so down that you are on a rampage to find some Vat 69?"

He took another drink. "For one thing, my personal supply of the Vat 69 has dried up. And for another, she's divorcing me _and_ she's taking _my_ dog."

"That's all?"

Nix looked at her in shock with an eyebrow raised. "_That's all?_"

She looked over and saw his reaction to her comment and automatically began to explain. "Shoot! I didn't mean to say that it isn't horrible that your marriage is ending but," she shrugged, "you always deserved better than her anyway. Take this as an opportunity to start over and find someone better suited for you."

He took another drink from the bottle before responding to her. "Look at me. Do you honestly believe that I could do better than her like this?"

"Quit drinking and I think you could."

He laughed. "In this hellhole for me to actually quit drinking is easier said than done."

She took the bottle of wine from him and poured all of it out onto the ground.

He looked at her appalled. "What did you do that for?"

She smiled at him. "Just helping you start your way down the rode of sobriety. You are going to break your drinking habit and I am going to help you. If you think I won't know when you take a drink just because I'm not around just remember that I am friends with the majority of the men in this company and they would do almost anything for me. Just don't make me tell them that I am trying to help you quit drinking. I am sure that you would rather keep that between just the two of us."

"With that assumption you would be right." He sighed. "So we're really going to try and get me to stop drinking?"

"We are not going to just try. We are going to actually get you to stop drinking," she replied with certainty.

"Well I wish I could toast to that but you took away our only drink."

She smiled and pulled him into a brief hug. "Now, finish up your sandwich. It was hard for me to get everything to make it so you better not waste it but enjoy it."

* * *

Later that night Evie finally got the chance to really settle into her room for the night and she sighed when she sat upon the bed and found it to actually be as comfortable as it looked. Although she had to remind herself that any bed was better than the cots that she had been sleeping in recently. She quickly untied the laces on her boots and then slowly pulled them off along with her stockings. When her feet were free she couldn't help but sigh happily as she wiggled her toes around and enjoyed the freedom of movement.

After a few moments she finally got to her feet and walked over to the mirror and unpinned her hair so that the mahogany waves hung down to just above the middle of her back. As she ran her fingers through her hair she realized that she couldn't even remember the last time she had gotten a proper haircut. She had been trimming her own hair whenever she got the chance just to keep it a bit more manageable but it had been ages since she had put herself in the capable hands of an actual stylist.

She was still staring at her reflection when there a soft knock on her door. She hurried over to the door and unlocking it she opened it halfway and her eyes went wide when she saw her late night visitor.

"What are you doing here?" she asked softly.

He just pushed his way gently into her room and locking the door behind them he crushed her body against his as he pressed his lips heatedly against hers.

As soon as Dick's lips were on hers Evie forgot about all of the hurt and anger that she had been feeling since Foy and because he had been shunning her ever since the battle. Instead she chose to just relish in the feel of being with him again. They spread kisses over each other as he backed her up towards the bed. Falling upon the mattress they both laughed a bit between kisses as they started to remove each others clothes.

That night everything that had been going on between them was forgotten. The anger and awkwardness was forgotten because they both needed to feel something. They both needed to feel something other than the pain, anger, and despair that seemed to consume their every waking and sleeping thought because of the sights they had seen and what they had done. They also needed to forget for at least a short time that they were in the middle of a horrible war that sometimes seemed could go on forever. For each other they were able to bring a small amount of normalcy into their lives for at least a few fleeting hours and for the moment that was all that mattered to either one of them.

* * *

When Evie woke up the next morning she stretched and a warm smile spread across her face as images of the night before flashed through her mind. She rolled onto her side and her good mood was instantly dashed when she found herself alone in her bed. Clutching the sheet to herself she sat up and gazed about the room and couldn't find anything to prove that Dick had even been there. She had hoped that they could talk things over before she had to leave to meet back up with Sink but apparently he hadn't wanted that.

Anger boiled within her as she got up and quickly got dressed and put her hair up. Glancing at her watch she found that she had enough time to eat something before her jeep got there. She packed her bag and hurried downstairs to the kitchen.

In the kitchen she was greeted by Nix, Harry Welsh, and Speirs so she quickly disguised her anger and smiled at the men. Nix came up and gave her a peck on the cheek as the other two men mumbled a good morning to her.

"Have you properly met Ron, pet?" Nix asked Evie as he passed her a cup of coffee.

She shook her head before taking a sip of the strong brew.

"Well then, pet, I would like to introduce you to Easy's newest CO, Cpt. Ronald Speirs. Ron, I'd like you to meet my dearest cousin and Easy's best gal, Lieutenant Evelyn Westin."

The two shook hands and addressed each other by their rank and Evie smiled.

"Please call me Evie, Captain. Every long standing man in Easy does and you should to," she told the man warmly.

"Then please call me Ron," he responded with an equally warm smile.

Nix wrapped an arm around Evie's shoulders and pulled her close against his side. "Our little Evie can sneak her way into any man's heart and it's one of the best moments of his life to have her in it."

Evie blushed and ducked away from her cousin's arm. She picked up a piece of toast and began to nibble upon it.

"It is hardly like that," Evie mumbled as she took a seat in the only chair left in the room.

Nix and Harry chuckled.

"That's quite a gift, Evie. I hope you only use it for good," Ron remarked with a grin.

She looked up at Ron and as she spoke she turned her gaze upon Nix as a mischievous gleam brightened her eyes. "As long as a person stays on my good side I strive to protect them, not hurt them."

Both Harry and Ron chuckled as Nix gave her a cautious and critical look.

She glanced at her watch again before finishing her coffee and toast. "I hate to cut this short, gentlemen, but my jeep is about to arrive."

"We'll walk you out," Harry offered. "We have to be up at HQ for a meeting anyways."

Harry picked up her bag as the group made their way out of the house to find a jeep parked in front waiting for Evie.

From a short way down the road Dick watched the group leave the house laughing. He envied those three men for they were able to so easily and freely talk with Evie. When Evie happened to glance his way her eyes instantly turned cold and angry. She quickly looked away from him and her manner became relaxed yet again. He watched as Harry gave her a swift hug good bye and even as Speirs gave her a friendly handshake. Then Nix wrapped her up in a tight embrace and spun her around in a circle before placing her back on her feet. Laughing she hopped into the jeep and she waved and blew kisses to the three men as she was driven away.

_Here it is…as always I ask that you review so I can know how I'm doing. _

_~a modern girl with an old soul_


	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

Dick was leaning against his jeep watching some of the men of Easy try to blow up the road block when Sink's jeep pulled up. Evie was seated casually and comfortably in the back looking as if she didn't have a care in the world. No matter how hard he tried Dick just couldn't keep his full attention on Sink and his eyes often strayed to Evie in the back.

As Sink told Dick what he wanted to be done Evie made sure to keep her attention on anything but Dick. She was happy when Nix came over to speak to her.

"Hello pet," Nix greeted as he leaned against the jeep.

"Hello cousin," she greeted and leaned up to kiss his cheek quickly.

"You're looking quite lovely here in the middle of a war."

"Thank you. We spent last night in a place that was nice enough for me to really clean myself up."

She did look much better than she had recently. She had been able to take a hot bath the other night and this morning her uniform was clean and pressed for her. She had also gotten the chance to properly curl and pin her hair and makeup had been made available to her. Although she had used the makeup it had been unable to hide the dark circles under her eyes. She was glad that the day was sunny because it allowed her to wear her aviator sunglasses to hide them.

The cousins weren't allowed to say much more to each other because Sink and Dick were done conferring and Sink needed to get back to regimental headquarters. With a quick good bye Evie was driven away along with Sink. She waved at the men of Easy as the jeep went by them and they all cheered and waved back.

Nix turned to Dick, who shot him a glare. "What is that look for?"

"You know what it's for," Dick replied.

"She's my cousin and I love her so give that look to someone else."

Dick snorted and turned away from his friend. He waved Speirs over and gave him the orders to get Easy on the move into Berchtesgaden.

* * *

Later that day once Easy had moved into and secured Berchtesgaden Evie was in a jeep with a private and a dark scowl on her face. He drove her to the hotel where Sink and other officers would be staying while they occupied the town. Colonel Sink had transferred her to be the new secretary for Dick until the end of the war and when she had tried to argue with him he had informed her that he was going to have lot of paperwork and he would need someone capable enough to help him through it all. When she had suggested other people for Sink to send to Dick he had merely reminded her that he outranked her so she would do as she was told. A part of her hated him for doing this to her and she had actually contemplated going AWOL but another part, the more dominant part, was happy to be near Dick, no matter the reason.

When they pulled up outside the Berchtesgaden Hof the private got her luggage out of the back of the jeep and followed her into the building. Inside the lobby she found Nix standing behind the front desk flipping through what appeared to be the guest log. She took off her sunglasses and smirked at him with her hands on her hips. He heard the private setting her trunk down and his eyes snapped up and instantly locked with hers so with a grin he came around the desk and enfolded her within his embrace.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her once he set her back on her feet.

"Colonel Sink transferred me here. He wants me to be a secretary for Major Winters," Evie told him with a grimace.

Nix chuckled. "Well, I think that's a great idea. The two of you need to be pushed together and maybe it will make the two of you work things out."

"I don't think Major Winters wants to work things out because he has had several chances to do that and he hasn't taken advantage of any of them," Evie said with tears brightening her eyes.

Nix acted as though he hadn't heard what she had just said. "Lord do I love Sink sometimes," he said with another chuckle. "Just as I'm getting bored he provides me with some entertainment."

Evie scowled up at him. "You better not be getting any entertainment at my expense," she warned in a low voice.

Nix sobered right away. "Of course not, I would never dream of doing that to you." He grabbed her bag and trunk from the waiting private. "I'll put you in the room next to mine."

"It better be a good room."

As they made their way up the stairs Nix shot a glance over at her. "What is with your sudden formality?"

"What do you mean?" she asked feigning ignorance to what he was referring.

"You just referred to Dick as Major Winters. You're in a serious relationship with the man so why are you now referring to him by his official title?"

She sighed. "Lew, we _were_ in a serious relationship but I'm pretty sure that was over when he lashed out at me for protecting him and Easy Company. He is now another officer in the U.S. Army so I now refer to him as Major Winters."

"And you won't re-think that decision?"

"What do you think?"

"Umm…no, that just isn't you."

"Right."

They put her things in the room that was to be hers before heading back down to the spacious hotel dining room. The room was empty except for a single soldier who was trying to hurry out of the hotel. Nix grabbed the man by the arm stopping him.

"Where has everyone gone?" Nix asked.

"Easy Company's taken the Eagle's Nest, sir. Everyone is up there celebrating," the soldier replied before scurrying away.

"There better be a jeep left for us," Nix commented as he practically dragged Evie out of the hotel.

They were able to find a jeep and raced up to the impressive Eagle's Nest where Easy was gathered and celebrating. Evie soon found herself comfortably lying back on a cushioned lounge chair on a balcony with a gorgeous view of the surrounding mountainous landscape. She accepted a champagne bottle from Harry and took a drink as they joked around. She kept an eye on Nix the whole time and was happy and proud to see that he was only drinking in moderation.

When Dick walked out onto the balcony he didn't notice Evie at all whereas she instantly stiffened and was just barely able to maintain a happy façade. The actions of a slightly drunk Harry made her actually relax and return to the jovial mood she had been in before Dick arrived.

Dick announced that the Germans had surrendered and the men happily cheered. Harry even grabbed Evie and kissed her, which brought Dick's attention finally to rest upon her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked rather softly.

"Sink felt that you would be needing a good secretary with the war winding down so he appointed me," she told him and she couldn't stop the warmth that entered her voice.

He nodded his head as if in a daze before turning to Nix. "I have something for you."

With that Dick and Nix left and Evie celebrated with the remaining men but a part of her mind insisted on continuing to think about Dick.

* * *

As they moved into Austria Evie rode in a jeep with Nix, Harry, and Dick. Although Dick seemed somewhat uncomfortable with the arrangement Nix wouldn't let his younger cousin out of his sight now that she was to be kept by their side at all times. Dick drove the jeep while Nix and Evie sat beside each other in the back seat and Evie took full advantage of this as she rested her head upon her cousin's shoulder and fell into a peaceful slumber. She was woken up a few hours later by Nix and blinking the sleep out of her eyes she saw some of the most beautiful landscape she had ever seen.

They pulled up before a huge hotel that had been built beside a peaceful lake and as they all got out of the jeep they stared in awe at their new surroundings. They hurried up the stairs to the lobby of the hotel.

"I think we'll be comfortable here," Nix commented as he slung an arm around Evie's shoulders and pulled her into the building with him.

She giggled and looked up at him. "I don't know. Compared to where we've been staying the past few years I think this may be below our standards."

Laughing together the two cousins went about exploring the place where they would be staying for however long the Army commanded them to.

An hour later Evie had some free time and was wandering around near the lake when Dick, who had been searching for her, finally found her. She had taken a seat on the edge of a stone dock that had been built out into the lake. Her legs were hanging off the edge but they weren't long enough to touch and disturb the water below them. The sun was just setting and the way the deep orange rays hit her gave her a soft glow and warmth.

He was walking up behind her and she obviously heard him because she turned around to see who was coming up behind her. When she saw that it was him she didn't react the way he had expected her to. He had thought that upon seeing him coming towards her she would have gotten up and left but instead she merely turned back around and looked out over the lake again. He took this as a good sign and sat down beside her but she didn't turn to look at him.

"I'm sorry for everything," he said quietly as he looked at her.

She turned to him with tears in her eyes but didn't say a word.

"I'm sorry for how I reacted at Foy and how I have treated you since that day. You were just trying to protect me and you were thinking with a more level head than I had been. What I'm sorry for most, though, is what happened between us in Landsberg. I shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that even though I needed the comfort that you offered to me."

She smiled a teary smile at him. "Don't ever be sorry for what happened in Landsberg."

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "But I shouldn't have treated you like that. You deserve so much more than just having me make love to you because I was having a tough day and you just happened to be there."

She covered his mouth with her hand and shook her head. "I said don't ever be sorry for what happened in Landsberg. I'm not and I never will be because it has given me one of the best things I could have ever hoped for."

He looked at her oddly and the look in his eyes asked her the question he was unable to ask with her hand over his mouth.

She smiled even more brightly. "I'm pregnant, Dick. We're going to be having a baby."

After telling him that she removed her hand from his mouth so that he could respond to the huge news that she had just told him. He seemed to just look at her for a moment and then his eyes fell to her stomach that beneath her field jacket didn't look any bigger than normal. Then his eyes returned to hers and with a smile he pulled her close to him and crushed his lips against hers in a loving kiss. She heartily returned his kiss as her arms wrapped tightly around him pulling them even closer to one another. When they parted they were both a little breathless and Dick looked at her with the same gentleness Evie had associated with him while they were in Paris.

"Marry me," he more told her than asked her.

She laughed lightly and smiled at him. "Absolutely."

As soon as the word had left her lips he was up on his feet and extending his hands down to help her to her feet. She accepted his help but while standing she had to ask a question.

"Where are we going?"

"We have to tell Nix about this because he has been bothering me to talk with you about us and then we are moving your things into my room without anyone else knowing, of course. It would be best to be discreet about sharing a room but I don't want to let you out of my sight while you are carrying my child."

They began walking back towards the hotel. Dick wrapped an arm about her waist and pulled her close against him as she wrapped an arm around his waist and laid her head upon his shoulder. Both of them couldn't suppress the grins that seemed to be plastered upon their faces.

"I think they will know that we are sharing a room if I am coming and going from your room and not my own," she informed him.

"You are my secretary so it is only natural that you would be coming and going from my room with all of the paperwork we have to get through."

She sighed. "Whatever you say but I see no problem with any of this as long as we are discreet."

It didn't take them very long to find Nix as he was seated out on the large terrace with Harry Welsh and Speirs kicking back and relaxing. When the group saw the couple approaching them they all grinned because they knew it wouldn't be long before they had gotten back together.

"You two look cozier than you have been for the past couple of months," Nix commented with a chuckle.

Dick grinned and pulling Evie even closer to him announced, "We want the three of you to be the first to know that I asked Evie to marry me and she's agreed."

"About damn time," Speirs barked and received laughs from everyone gathered.

Harry stood up and looked at the two men. "And I do believe that means that I won the bet, does it not?"

With a mumbled curse both Nix and Speirs reached into their pockets and pulled out several bills, which they deposited into Harry's waiting hand. Dick and Evie exchanged a look before she stepped forward and looked at the three officers.

"The three of you were placing bets on when we would get back together?" she asked with a scowl.

"Not when you would get back together but when you would get engaged and it wasn't just the three of us," Harry told her. "So if you will excuse me I have some money to be collecting from Lip, Malark, and Leibgott.

"All six of you?" Evie exclaimed.

Dick came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I think you had better get running now, Harry. She looks like she is about to go after you."

Harry hurried away to find the other three soldiers and was followed by Speirs with the reasoning that Harry was going to need a witness to confirm that the two were indeed engaged. With just Nix left the couple turned to him and he held his hands up in surrender.

"It was just a harmless bet so don't attack me," he said with an innocent smile.

Evie shrugged. "The bet doesn't really matter to me. I just wanted to have a bit of fun scaring Harry away and it gives us a chance to tell you some more sensitive news."

"And what would that be, pet?" Nix asked sitting up in his seat.

She smiled brightly and seemed to glow even more than she already had been. "I'm pregnant!"

"Wow. The two of you work fast. You just got back together and you've already managed to create a baby in a matter of a few hours. That has got to be some kind of record."

Evie rolled her eyes at her cousin and looked at Dick to explain to him.

"We spent the night together in Landsberg. It was there that the baby was conceived."

"In Landsberg?" Nix asked jumping to his feet. "The two of you spent a night together in Landsberg and neither one of you felt like informing me of this?"

"Our personal lives are not your business. We do get to keep a few things to ourselves if and when we want to," Evie told him as Dick urged her to sit down and have a glass of water. He was already becoming the over protective father and it made her smile and love him all the more.

_Well, there it is. Read and review to let me know if its any good._

_~a modern girl with an old soul_


	9. Chapter Nine

As the German was surrendering to Dick several of the officers stood around and watched the momentous occasion. Evie stood just behind and to the right of Dick just beside Nix. Looking on she felt her heart swell with pride as Dick treated his conquered enemy with respect even after the years of war. He allowed the man to keep his side arm and she smiled softly as she witnessed the German officer look at Dick with a new respect. When the man had asked Dick what would happen to men like them when there were no more wars to fight Evie's hand unconsciously went to rest lightly upon her stomach. Dick had something to look forward to once these awful wars were over and so did she and they couldn't be happier. Nix had caught her gesture and took her free hand in his giving it a reassuring squeeze before smiling softly at her as she turned a bit to him.

* * *

Dick was standing on the steps of the hotel talking with Harry and Nix when Evie came rushing out of the doors. She was for once dressed in something other than her field uniform. Today she had chosen to wear her pink skirt with the matching blouse and tie along with her pink garrison cap, olive Ike jacket and her brown pumps. Although she had always looked like a woman throughout the war they hadn't seen her in a skirt in years. The last time Dick had seen her wearing a skirt they had been in Paris on leave together.

As she was hurrying past the group of men she stumbled slightly on the steps and Dick quickly moved and caught her in his arms. She gasped but sighed when she felt his arms wrap securely about her waist.

"You should be more careful," he told her sternly. "You are not just looking out for yourself now but also our child."

A light blush suffused Evie's cheeks. "I haven't worn heals in so long I seem to have forgotten how to walk properly in them."

The men chuckled and Evie's cheeks brightened even more in color.

"Where are you headed to in such a hurry?" Nix asked with a laugh.

She smiled brightly. "I want to see Shifty get what he deserves."

"Who said Shifty was getting anything?" Harry asked with a grin. "It is a random raffle so anyone in the company could get to go home."

She sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "Don't even try that with me, Harry Welsh. I know that all of the officers already chose Shifty so don't try and tell me otherwise."

"I wouldn't upset her, Harry," Nix warned. "Her mood swings have been horrible ever since she got pregnant."

With an upset gasp Evie stepped towards Nix but Dick wrapped his arms about her and held her back. She looked up at him with a scowl.

"I do not want you trying to kill your cousin…"

"Thanks, Dick. At least someone values my life," Nix interrupted.

"And have you fall down the steps and hurt yourself. Wait until he is on more level ground," Dick finished with an amused look at Nix.

Evie chuckled as she spun around in Dick's arms and wrapped her own around his neck. She thanked him before placing a swift kiss upon his lips.

"Why don't we go down and watch Shifty get what he deserves?" Harry suggested. "I do not want to continue watching the two of you together. It makes me think of Kitty too much."

Evie thread her arm through Dick's as they made their way to the square where Easy had assembled. Nix and Harry stood on either side of them as they walked in comfortable silence. When Dick looked down at Evie a grin spread across his face. She could feel his eyes on her and when she looked up at him she raised a brow at his rather large grin.

"What are you grinning about?" She asked.

"Without the bulk of your field uniform it becomes very obvious that you are pregnant, my dear," he responded.

A small smile graced her features as her free hand gently settled against her rounding abdomen. Just as Dick's hand was going to join hers they arrived at the square and her hand dropped from her middle. They wanted as few people as possible to know about the baby. They weren't sure how Sink and the Army would react if they found out that Evie was pregnant so they thought it would be best if they kept it a secret.

Harry was the one who was to draw the lucky soldier's name from the helmet. As he was "searching" around for a slip of paper his lips twitched with suppressed amusement and Evie's lips curled up when she saw this. When Speirs announced that it was Shifty who won Evie laughed as she cheered along with the guys.

* * *

As Dick was saying farewell to Shifty Evie walked into the room with a tray carrying a beautiful silver coffee service. She set the tray upon the table and went to stand behind Dick's chair. She placed her hands on his shoulders and it was clear, even to Shifty, the immensity of their feelings for one another. Evie's new engagement ring sparkled on her finger as a clear testament to their commitment to one another, with Nix's help Dick had managed to find the perfect ring for her even in war torn Europe.

"Sir…and ma'am, before I go I'd just like to congratulate both of you not only on your engagement but also on the fact that you'll be having a little one running around soon," Shifty told them shyly.

Evie gasped. "How did you know?"

"All of us Toccoa men know, ma'am. We consider the two of you family so we like to stay up to date on things going on with you."

"Who told you men?" Dick asked seriously.

"I wouldn't feel right telling on someone, sir."

"We won't force you to tell us, Shifty. We understand," Evie told him sweetly.

"Thank you, ma'am. You're a true lady."

"Thank you, Shifty." She came towards the sweet man and hugged him. "Take care of yourself and be sure to keep in touch."

"I will, ma'am. Good bye. Good bye, sir." With that he left them alone again.

Once they were alone Evie prepared two cups of coffee and handing Dick his she went to stand at the railing of the balcony with hers. Dick left his coffee alone and joined her in looking out over the landscape. He stood behind her and wrapped his arms about her waist pulling her close against him as he rested a hand upon her stomach and his head upon her shoulder.

"The men would do anything to protect us, especially you," he told her softly.

"I know. I trust those men with my life."

They were silent for several minutes before Evie sighed and turned around in his arms to face him.

"I'm going to rest for a little while before supper. Carrying your child seems to make me very tired very easily."

"So when you complain about the baby I'm the only parent but when you are extremely happy with the baby then you are the sole parent?" he asked with a lifted brow.

She nodded her head with a giggle. "That sounds about right. Besides, we both know that every good trait that this child gets will be from me."

He just chuckled as she walked around him and went into their bedroom. She shut the door softly because she knew Army personnel would be in and out of the room talking with Dick and she didn't want that to disturb her much needed rest.

* * *

The entire Army as an occupation force had too much time on their hands even though they were performing daily physical training. Along with having too much time with nothing to do the soldiers had too much and far too easy of access to alcohol and firearms. This led to many accidents occurring between drunken soldiers.

One night while Dick and Evie were comfortably sleeping in bed there was an urgent pounding on the main door to their room. Getting up Dick quickly pulled on a pair of pants and an undershirt before answering the door to see what was going on. Standing on the other side of the door was a heavily breathing Perconte.

"What's wrong Perconte?" Dick asked as he tried to rub the sleep from his eyes.

"There's been an accident, sir," Perconte said as he continued to try and control his breathing.

"What kind of accident?" Dick asked as Evie stayed just inside the bedroom doorway listening to their conversation but she was already getting some of her clothes out along with Dick's.

"A soldier from another company was drunk and after shooting and killing some Germans he turned around and shot Sergeant Grant, sir. He was shot in the head, sir, and it doesn't look very good but Captain Speirs has taken him to get a brain surgeon and get him to the closest hospital."

After hearing that Grant had been shot in the head Evie flew about the room starting to get dressed in her field uniform.

"Are there men out looking for the man who shot Grant?" Dick asked quickly.

"Yes, sir. Before Speirs left he ordered for Easy to start searching the town and to try and bring the guy in alive."

"Thank you, Perconte. I'm going to go to the hospital and make sure that Easy holds that soldier when they find him."

"Yes, sir."

Perconte hurried away to help in the search as Dick shut the door and returned to the bedroom where he found Evie already tying her boots up.

"I got your uniform out for you," she said with a gesture toward the other side of the bed.

"Are you sure you should go with me?" he asked. "Shouldn't you stay here and get some sleep for yourself and the baby?"

Standing up Evie began to tuck in her blouse as she gave Dick a stern look. "A soldier I care about is in the hospital being operated on by a brain surgeon. I am not going to just stay here in this bed. I wouldn't be able to sleep anyways so I am going with you no matter what you say."

He sighed and quickly finished getting dressed. They were soon out of the hotel and in a jeep racing off towards the nearest hospital where they had been told Speirs had taken Grant along with a German brain surgeon.

When they got to the hospital and had been directed towards the surgical wing they quickly searched for Speirs. It didn't take them very long to find him pacing outside of an operating room with a deep scowl of concern on his face.

"How is he, Ron?" Dick asked.

Speirs stopped his pacing and looked at the pair. "They are operating on him now so we won't find anything out until their done. I've been assured that the Kraut surgeon is good though so things should be okay…hopefully."

* * *

Dick and Evie returned to the hotel not long after Speirs did and they saw the drunken soldier being led out into the lobby by two MPs. Dick instinctively took a protective step in front of Evie so as to block her from the still very drunk soldier. Speirs was leading the group out and gave a quick nod to Dick to assure him that this man was the one that they were looking for. Evie looked sharply at the man and felt no sympathy for him when she saw his battered face that was obviously the result of several of Easy's men getting their own shots in before he was taken away by the MPs.

The drunk soldier looked up at Dick and Evie when he was closer to them and he sneered at her. "Well, if it isn't the whore of Easy Company," he mocked.

All of the Easy Company men in the room rushed towards the man ready to deal him another blow for insulting her but Speirs beat them all to the punch. Quicker than any of them had been able to react Speirs had pulled his pistol out of his holster and slammed the butt of it against the soldier's jaw causing blood to fly across the room and onto several people's uniforms. The blow caused the soldier to loose consciousness as he sagged between the two MPs that still held him firmly in their grasp and as his mouth fell open several bloodied teeth fell to the once pristine floor.

"Thank you," Dick said in a low, frightening tone as he continued to glare down at the man.

Evie stood to the side seething in anger. This man had gotten so drunk he had killed several people and nearly killed someone dear to her and yet he had the audacity to insult her and call her a whore. If only he were still conscious she would get in a few hits of her own but seeing as how Speirs had already dealt with the man plenty she would leave it alone. She was sure that the MPs would deal with him appropriately and he would get his just punishment through a military court.

"Don't thank me. It was a pleasure to hit the man again," Speirs said. He then looked up at Evie in concern. "I am just sorry that you had to listen to this piece of dirt's mouth."

Evie gave him a small smile. "Thank you for that, Ron. I appreciate you defending me."

"Get this dirt bag out of here before one of us kills him," Speirs directed to the MPs with a disgusted look.

Dick wrapped an arm about Evie's shoulders and guided her away from the crowd and back up to their room. It had been a long night for both of them but he didn't want to put Evie and the baby under too much stress so he wanted to get her back in bed as soon as possible. Once up in their room he carefully helped her to remove her clothes and slip into a cool nightgown before laying her down in the bed. He quickly undressed himself and joining her under the sheets he pulled her against his side and pressed a kiss to her hair before falling asleep.

* * *

Stepping out of the hotel in her search for Dick Evie paused where she was as she watched him speaking with Lip. She knew what he was talking about and a small smile lifted the corners of her mouth as she watched the exchange between the two men. When Lip turned and walked away from Dick she went up to him and ran a hand across his shoulders and down his back before wrapping her arm around his waist.

"You are a good man, Dick Winters," she told him as she watched Lip return to the party.

Dick wrapped an arm around Evie and bent so that his lips were just above her ear. "I am just doing right by my men."

She shook her head as she laughed softly and turned to press her forehead to his as she looked up into his eyes. "Can you ever just take a compliment that I give you?"

"When it is undeserved? No."

"Every compliment I give you is well deserved. Trust me. You are a good man and what you are doing for the men of Easy isn't just doing right by your men. You are taking care of the men you hold closest and seeing that they no longer have to see a battlefield if you can help it. You are a good man and it is only one reason among the many for why I love you as much as I do."

"I am one of the luckiest men in the world to be getting you for my wife."

"And don't you forget it," she laughed.

He chuckled and tightened his arm about her. "How would you care to join me in going to visit with the men? We can watch Lip perform his first duty in his new position and we can pick Nix up along the way."

"Sounds like a good idea to me. A drive sounds especially nice on a day like this."

* * *

Evie sat in the back of the jeep behind Dick and Nix as they watched Lip walk up and speak to the German General. When a truck pulled out of the way they saw Captain Herbert Sobel walking in their direction from the other side along with a private. As the pair passed Dick's jeep the private saluted Dick but Sobel tried to continue walking as though he hadn't even noticed them.

"Captain Sobel," Dick called.

"Major Winters," Sobel replied with a slight nod.

"Captain Sobel…we salute the rank, not the man," Dick informed him in an authoritative but understanding tone.

Sobel slowly turned toward him and somewhat reluctantly saluted Dick who snapped a quick salute in return. Once Sobel had walked away Dick paused for a moment before he turned to look at Nix who shook his head slightly as a small smile curved his lips.

Evie leaned forward in her seat and as she draped her arms around Dick's neck she pressed her lips to his ear as she smiled and whispered, "Did that make you feel good, _Major_ Winters?"

Dick let out a quiet chuckle. "It actually did a little bit."

She sat back and Dick called Liebgott over to translate the speech the General was giving to his men.

Liebgott leaned against the jeep and Evie sat up behind him as she rested her chin on his shoulder and draped an arm over his other shoulder. "Men, it's been a long war, it's been a tough war. You've fought bravely and proudly for your country. You're a special group. You've found in one another a bond that exists only in combat, among brothers. You've shared foxholes, held each other in dire moments. You've seen death and suffered together. I'm proud to have served with each and every one of you. You all deserve long and happy lives in peace."

With a sad sigh Evie sat back in the jeep and began fiddling with her engagement ring.

"Are you all right, pet?" Nix asked as he noticed her sudden melancholy mood.

She nodded. "Just tired," she sighed.

"Let's get you back to the hotel then," Dick suggested as he started the jeep.

* * *

Early one morning Evie walked along a dirt path down to the lake with Nix as they had been told that Dick had headed down that way just shortly before them and when they cleared the bushes they saw Dick standing on a ledge looking out at the lake.

"We heard reports about a red headed Eskimo and I thought it'd be you," Nix called out to Dick to get his attention.

They stepped up beside him and Dick wrapped an arm around Evie as he kissed the top of her head and gently caressed her slightly rounded abdomen. She smiled warmly up at him before turning her gaze to the scenery as the two men shared a few words.

"Oh, Zielinski sent this for you," Nix said as he handed a package to Dick and the three of them sat down.

"Great," Dick murmured as he started unwrapping it.

"What is it?" Evie asked resting her head upon Dick's shoulder.

"I ran into the regimental photographer and he told me that he had all these old photos of Easy going all the way back to Toccoa," Dick explained. "I traded him for them with a few lugers."

"That was a fair trade," Nix joked.

"Look at these two kids," Dick commented as he held out a picture of the two of them in their dress greens looking fresh faced and eager for duty.

Nix chuckled. "What happened to them?"

"I'm having that framed and put on display when we get stateside," Evie remarked as she smiled at the picture.

"To embarrass us?" Nix asked.

"No, to brag about the two most important men in my life," she corrected.

As Dick went to dive into the lake Nix and Evie continued going through the photos as they took a seat on the stone dock. Nix pulled out a photo and chuckled as he showed it to Evie. It was a candid shot of the three of them taken when Evie was showing off her new 2nd lieutenant insignia just before she was to head off for her weekend leave. The two men were dressed in their PT gear as Sobel had revoked their passes and she was modeling her dress pinks and greens for them as they smiled at her.

She smiled. "Aren't we quite the trio?"

"I'm guessing I'll be having to find a new trio pretty soon as the two of you will be creating a new one all your own," Nix commented as he looked down at the picture.

"Hey," she put a finger under his chin forcing him to look at her as she spoke to him, "you'll always be a part of our trio. Dick and I may be creating a family for ourselves but you will always be an important part of our family. You didn't think you'd be getting away from us that easily, did you? We are going to want to get away every once in awhile and then we'll need a babysitter for this little one when we do."

He smirked at her. "I thought you wouldn't want me influencing your child with my devilish ways."

She smiled at him. "I think you know enough to act better around my kid."

Dick swam up to shore and called for his towel. Evie tossed it him and as he dried he spoke with Nix about the position he had offered to work at Nixon Nitration Works.

"You awake?" Dick asked.

"Awake? It's time to go to bed," Nix remarked as he stood up.

Then as an idea struck him he jumped into the water in his full uniform. Evie laughed as she watched him. Before she knew what was going on though Dick had come up in front of her and tossed his towel on the dock beside her. He threw her over his shoulder and hurrying into deeper water he plunged under the surface bringing Evie down with him. When they surfaced she shot Dick a disapproving and shocked glare.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"I can't believe you just did that," she told him appalled.

He made his way toward her. "And yet you'll forgive me for it."

"Who said I would?"

"I know you and you will."

"And I thought my actions were devilish," Nix commented as he swam toward them. "At least I'm smart enough to know it isn't wise to toss a pregnant Evie into a lake."

"You're devilish but you're not dumb," Evie informed him as she swam away from Dick.

"Forgive me?" Dick questioned.

"Fine," she sighed, "but only because I don't want to have to deal with fighting with you."

He chuckled and gathered her in his arms. "I knew you would forgive me."

"Don't brag and push your luck," Nix cautioned his friend as he headed for shore.

The couple also made their way in and when Dick went to pick up his towel Evie snatched it out of his hands and used it to dry herself off. As they headed back to the hotel she buried herself in Dick's arms and tried to dry off her hair with the towel.

* * *

Later that day the trio headed out to where Easy had set up their very own baseball field to make an announcement. She wore her off-duty dress because it was looser around her growing stomach and so she didn't have to suck anything in to put it on. As Easy gathered around them she smiled as Dick told them the news that Japan had surrendered and that they wouldn't be re-deployed over there after all. The men looked relieved and seemed to release a common sigh as they returned to their game. Dick lifted Evie up onto the hood of the jeep and sat next to her as Nix leaned against it near them so they could enjoy the game for a bit before returning to the paperwork they all had waiting for them back at headquarters.

"So now we can return stateside soon and get started on making a real home for our family," Dick commented as he rubbed a finger along the back of Evie's hand.

"Where are we going to end up?" she asked softly.

"I'm not sure but Nixon, New Jersey is sounding pretty good. What do you think?"

She smiled. "Nixon sounds like a good place to raise our little ones."

"What would you say to getting married in two weeks? Out near the lake?"

She turned to look at him. "But I don't have a dress and don't you want to have your family around?"

"Having the men of Easy around us would be family enough for me and although you don't have a dress wouldn't it be a good idea to get married before the baby's born?"

She smiled down at him. "I suppose that would be a good idea. Besides, I just want to be married to you and that is all that matters to me."

Leaning down she delicately kissed him on his smiling lips.

_Sorry it has taken me so long to update but things have been really hectic and crazy for me lately. I've been meaning to update since I had started this chapter a while ago but I had family things get in the way and then school but luckily this week I got snowed in and didn't really have anything else to do so I got the chance to sit down and work on this. It's longer than my other chapters but I couldn't find a good place to split it up and as you can tell it pretty much wraps up the story. I've started work on an epilogue because I wanted to and the epilogue should be up pretty soon if I get the time to work on it. Well, as always, I hope you enjoyed it and review to let me know what you thought. ~a modern girl with an old soul_


	10. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

_1945_

As Evie's condition really began to show she confessed her pregnancy to Colonel Sink but after some pleading on her part she got him to allow her to stay in Austria as Dick's secretary. His only condition was that she go nowhere outside without one of Easy's men escorting her to which she readily agreed.

On a sunny day beside the tranquil lake Dick and Evie were married by the Battalion pastor and in front of all of Easy Company with the Toccoa men front and center. Dick was handsome as ever in his dress greens while Evie glowed in an empire waist, white silk gown that Nix had surprised her with that very morning. Using his scrounging abilities he had gotten a hold of an unused parachute and sent it to Paris where a few seamstresses had turned it into a beautiful wedding gown that fit Evie beautifully even in her pregnant state. Nix was also given the honor of giving the bride away before stepping in as best man.

About the time that Evie was due she and Dick went to England for the delivery. Only a few days after they had arrived the twins, Lewis Nixon and Catherine Rose Winters, were born in a London hospital.

When the telegram arrived to tell Easy Company of the twins' birth they all cheered loudly and partied in the new family's honor. Nix was back in Nixon, New Jersey when he received a similar but far more personal telegram informing him of the birth. When he read the twins' names all he could do was chuckle and remark that he had known all along that they had liked him best.

* * *

_May 1955_

On the tenth anniversary of VE Day Dick and Evie hosted a party for the Toccoa men to reunite and celebrate the event. It had been a joyous event as everyone reminisced and shared stories of their time together and also talked about what they had been doing since they had all separated.

When the party was over Evie was cleaning up but she paused when she glanced out the window to find her nine year old son chatting animatedly with his namesake on the porch. The sight warmed her heart and gave her hope that Nix would be okay in the end. After a second failed marriage he had fallen off the wagon but he always made sure that he was completely sober when he was around Dick and Evie's five children. Nix doted on and spoiled all of their kids but he had a special connection and relationship with Louie, who was becoming more like his Uncle Lew than his parents really wanted. She watched as a slow grin spread across Nix's lips and a matching one appeared on Louie's face. With a roll of her eyes she wondered what they were up to as she continued cleaning up.

* * *

_October 1956_

Evie sat in the front row of the gathered audience with her five children in seats along the row beside her. With bright tears in her eyes she smiled at Nix and Dick as they came to stand beside the pastor. When Nix's bride, Grace, began to walk down the aisle everyone stood to watch her but Evie watched Nix. She had never seen him look so good or so happy and it was because of that that she knew she no longer had to worry about him. He had a good woman in his life now and as she had gotten to know Grace she was positive that Nix was in capable hands.

* * *

_December 1965_

Evie thread her arm through Dick's as he closed her car door behind her and along with their youngest son they made their way to the gravesite. With their heads bowed they listened to the minister as he spoke a blessing over Lt. General Robert F. Sink's coffin. As the shots rang through the clear winter air saluting the general Evie jumped slightly and Dick wrapped an arm tightly about her shoulders as he handed her a handkerchief from his pocket. After the ceremony the family approached Sink's family as they stood accepting condolences from the crowd.

Walking up to Mrs. Sink Evie extended a hand to the woman and said, "Hello, Mrs. Sink. I'm not sure if you remember me or if General Sink ever spoke of me but I'm Evelyn Winters. I was your husband's secretary during World War II."

The woman smiled kindly at Evie. "I remember you from the one time that we were able to meet, Mrs. Winters, and my husband often spoke of you. He felt as if you were his very own daughter and whenever he got one of your letters he would always brag about how well you were doing to anyone he could get to listen."

Evie blushed lightly as she smiled shyly. "If you remember me then you must remember my husband."

Dick stepped forward and shook Mrs. Sink's hand politely.

"Of course I remember Major Winters. It is good to see you again, Major," Mrs. Sink said with a smile.

"It is good to see you again, Mrs. Sink. I just wish it were on better terms," Dick said in a soft voice.

"And, Mrs. Sink, I would like you to meet my youngest son, Bobby," Evie said as their son stepped forward.

Tears brightened the widow's eyes as she shook Bobby's hand and smiled at him. "I'll never forget how honored Robert felt when you wrote to him that you had named one of your sons after him." She laughed. "He bragged about that little tidbit for months and months."

"It is an honor to meet you, Mrs. Sink," Bobby greeted with a smile. "I am just sad that I never got the chance to meet the General himself. My parents have both told me so many stories and he sounded like he was a great man."

"Thank you, dear boy. My husband would have been proud to see that the young man named after him is as upstanding and good as you present yourself to be."

"I happen to think the pride solely belongs to me, ma'am. As I'm the one who was named after such a great man."

They all said their good byes and then with an arm wrapped around her husband and her son Evie was escorted back to their car.

* * *

_January 1995_

Evie was finishing up washing the dishes when the phone rang in the kitchen and drying off her hands she picked it up with a bright greeting. When she recognized the voice on the other end she instantly picked up on the tone of their voice and she became tense with dread and fear. She asked them what was wrong and when they told them the reason that they were calling she mumbled a quick response before hanging the phone up. Clutching the hand towel to her chest she tried to hold back the tears that rushed to her eyes as she began breathing shallowly and leaned again the edge of the counter.

"Dick!" she cried out when she could catch her breath enough to speak.

As quickly as he could manage Dick came into the kitchen and when he found her just barely staying on her feet against the counter he rushed to her side. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him.

"What's wrong, Evie? Who was on the phone?" he asked against her hair.

She looked up at him with a now tear streaked face. "It was Grace."

"Oh god..."

"Lew died last night from complications brought on by his diabetes."

He pulled her closer against him as sobs shook her whole body.

"He's gone. Lew's gone and I didn't even get to say good bye," she cried as she clung to Dick.

"I'm sure that was for the best, dear. You get to remember him from our last visit when he was stronger and happy to see all of us."

"But he was more like my brother than Jack ever was. I wanted to be able to say good bye to him before this happened."

"I know. I know. We'll call the airport tomorrow morning and get the first available flight out to L.A. Grace is going to need both of us there for her. She's going to need us to be there for her."

Evie nodded her head and straightened herself up as she dabbed at her eyes with the towel. She turned to look up at Dick with sad eyes. He hugged her close and murmured soothing words into her hair.

* * *

_September 2002_

Sitting in the massive audience Dick and Evie kept their hands clasped together as they watched everything going on up on stage. When Martin Sheen and Dennis Haysbert took the stage Evie squeezed Dick's hand and when he turned to look at her she flashed him a bright smile.

"And the Emmy goes to...Band of Brothers," Martin Sheen announced.

As the audience began to clap Dick turned to Evie and kissed her lightly on the lips before standing up to walk out of the aisle and join Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg in going to accept the award. When Spielberg made the statement that it was the men of Easy Company that had won the award during the war Evie tearfully watched as the entire audience got to their feet to give the men a standing ovation. With Rita Wilson's help Evie also got to her feet and clapped for her husband and the many men of Easy that she loved. She fought back her tears as she watched Dick step up to the microphone and as she listened to him her tears couldn't be held back anymore. As he spoke she didn't see him as the elderly man he looked to be but instead she saw him as the handsome, youthful soldier she had met decades before and fallen in love with.

_Well, there it is everyone. I hope you enjoyed it and let me know what you thought of the story overall. I want to thank everyone who reviewed while I was writing. I didn't get any feed back from the last chapter I put up but since I almost lost this when I had to format my computer today I felt that I should quickly finish editing it and put it up. As always I hope you'll give me some feed back on whether or not you liked my story. Anyways, thanks for everyone who read and we'll just have to see if I get any inspiration to write any other stories. Thanks! ~a modern girl with an old soul_


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